A love That Never Died
by xoBlackIcex
Summary: Amelia's boyfriend, Arthur, applied to be transferred to a new country for an adventure, which places them in Russia. Things get interesting when they move into an old manor that's apparently haunted & the ghost keeps reaching out to Amelia with her reaching back. Can she discover the truth of the manor and why the ghost seems so familiar? Or will she die trying..again. RusAme/UKUS
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** So I just typed this up while watching Haunted Mansion with my little cousins. They kept telling me to get off my phone but I wanted to write this while inspired. This will be short so I'm not too sure about what to rate it so its going to be a T for now..

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><p>Amelia couldn't help herself and sneezed for the millionth time into her hands. She sniffled and frowned when she felt another sneeze on its way. Ever since they'd stepped foot in the stupid house she'd been practically blowing her brains out every two seconds.<p>

After several sneezes when they first entered, she had tugged on her boyfriends sleeve to signal him to hurry it up, but he had only nodded in response and ignored her protest and continued to listen to the real state agent.

Her and her English boyfriend, Arthur, were house hunting in the rural region outside of St. Petersburg. They moved from their cozy apartment in London to Russia because of Arthur's job. At first Amelia was excited to be moving somewhere new and away from the rainy country, until she found out just where Arthur was being relocated.

"Russia?! Like Mother Russia?!" She had shrieked when her boyfriend told her the location they'd be moving.

He too seemed a little disappointed but insisted it would be an adventure and wanted to take it with her by his side. She wasn't convinced until he poured her a cup of wine and swayed the idea into her head while they drank and "_snuggled_" for most of the night.

The real estate agent was blabbering on in her thick accent about something Amelia couldn't even try to understand. For all she knew she were speaking in Russian. She glanced at Arthur to find him nodding along and trailing his eyes on the things that would be pointed out by the real estate lady. He was both nodding and looking just to be polite or by some chance he was actually able to understand the woman.

As they were being given their personal tour, Amelia would take in and study the sights around her that weren't interrupted by her sneezes. From what she could tell so far without the constant reminder of dust in the air, the house was extremely old. The floors were made of long, dark cooked oak that traveled throughout the house. At their old apartment there was only carpet so she always had something warm and soft beneath her toes. Amelia didn't even have to take off her boots to know that the hard, old wooden flooring would be cold and unwelcoming to her feet. If they chose this house, which she prayed Arthur wouldn't, she'd have to buy many rugs and make a trail from her bedside all the way to the kitchen.

They had just entered the grand living space and Amelia had to tilt her head back to see the full height of the ceiling. It looked like it went up forever and she immediately thought of the grand dinning hall in Hogwarts. In fact, the entire house looked like something out of the Harry Potter world.

Amelia continued to stand in the room's entrance as the agent and Arthur wandered into the room and talked. She trailed her eyes on all of the interesting possessions still on the walls from the previous owners. There were many paintings and objects from the country's rich culture.

"Wow..." She breathed and slowly advanced into the room, trying to absorb it all. When she progressed further in she realized that the room was larger than she had previously thought. She turned her head and gaped at open space that was out of sight from the doorway. Arthur and the agent were strolling towards a magnificent fire place made up of stone that stretched up the wall and beyond.

"Amelia, love." Arthur called out to her and she heard his voice echo off the stonewalls. "Come here please."

When she took her place by his side he smiled down at her and she returned only a half smile because she was interrupted by a sudden sneeze. He cleared his throat and gestured to the real estate woman who was politely waiting on them.

"Our agent has something she'd like to tell us about the house." He explained and the middle aged woman smiled and nodded.

"Da, I think best you both hear now and know history of house." Her polite smile faltered and Amelia noticed her grey eyes dart over to one side of the room then back to them.

"This home is very old." She started out as Amelia struggled to understand her accent. "So has much history. Some good, most very good, but also there is some bad." She swallowed and tried to smile but it wasn't the same as before.

"This home has not been lived in for many, many years. Century and even some years more." She was about to continue but Arthur cut in.

"Are there hazards to this home that we should be aware about?" His thick eyebrows knotted in concern and glanced up as if the ceiling were to tumble down on their heads.

"Nyet, nyet!" She denies him quickly but he didn't appear convinced.

"Please," she insisted. "Let me continue telling homes history."

Arthur nodded and Amelia sneezed.

"As I saying, this home is old and with good and not so good history." Again her eyes darted to something on the other side of the room. "The old owners were a beautiful couple. Tall, handsome, military man. And gorgeous young wife. They loved each other very much and lived very happily together here. Man was praised by military ranking and the woman for her beauty and fairness." She sighed contently and clasped her hands together.

"Did they not wish to sell until a century later or?" Arthur inquired and Amelia couldn't help but to smile and nudge his arm.

The woman frowned at him. "Nyet."

"Then why-"

"Let me finish!" She unclasped her hands and Arthur flinched back like she was about to swat at him.

"The man was gone for months for military and came home to tragedy... His beautiful wife had hung herself for reasons nobody knows. Some say heartbreak from separation from husband, others say it was murder. No one knows the truth and it drove her husband mad. After her funeral he just disappeared! There are no records of what happened and still her death and his disappearance are mystery to this town."

She frowned sadly and had been staring at the ground while she recalled the story to them. It was dead silent in the room until Amelia sneezed and the two others jumped.

Arthur gulped and looked down at Amelia, surprised to see that his girlfriend wasn't freaking out like he thought she would. He definitely would've thought she would be running once hearing someone had died in the house. Though, just because someone died in the home doesn't mean their spirit decided to hang around. Maybe that's what Amelia was thinking too.

In truth Amelia didn't catch the full story. The woman's accent was so thick that Amelia only caught a few words and was still trying to put the ones she heard together in her head. All she really had figured out was that a pretty woman had lived here with her husband who might have been in the Russian military. Some other things happened and it seems like the couple broke up and moved on. Amelia couldn't blame her though, she'd move away too if she had the chance.

"That was a very," Arthur swayed to find the right word. "Interesting story Ms. Yabe." He forced a smile and turned to Amelia who sneezed then looked back up at him. "Don't you agree, love?"

Amelia rubbed her swollen nose but nodded. "Um, yeah. Very cool stuff Ms. Yabe." She grinned at the middle aged Russian woman who gave her a perplexed look.

"By that she means intriguing and we thank you for sharing the houses-er past occurrences with us." Arthur quickly added and the woman turned to look at him with an unsteady gaze.

"I thought it best that I shared now before moving in and finding out for selves." Her voice lowered as she spoke and Arthur didn't quite catch the last part and Amelia's sneezing drew his attention elsewhere.

He looked down at his girlfriend and frowned at the image of her red noise and lidded eyes. The dust in the room was affecting her more than he's ever seen before, and they've lived in some pretty old buildings back in England. It would be cruel to make her live in such a place and have her constantly sneezing, that and Arthur was sure it'd drive him insane.

But the house was the cheapest one they've seen all week and the location was excellent for his commute. The size of the home was pleasing if they wanted to invite family and friends to stay over, though, he doubted many of them would agree to visit until summer. In the meantime he and Amelia could work together and fix up the old home and have it ready in time for spring.

"Do you suppose we could take a look on the second floor, Mrs. Yabe?" Arthur requested and the woman, seeming to be lost in her own thoughts, smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Da, right this way." She held out a gloved hand in the direction and moved to take the lead.

Arthur started to follow after the woman but paused when he noticed his girlfriend still standing in place where they all stood.

"Love?" They made eye contact for a split second before Amelia sneezed again and covered her face to catch it.

"I'll catch up to y'all in a bit." She grinned as she rubbed at her pink nose. "You can go ahead."

Her boyfriend stared at her for a moment before chuckling and mumbling that her sneezing was causing more dust to fling into the air then walked off.

Amelia watched him scurry down the long, dark hallway until she lost sight of him. His figure easily swallowed into the dim lighted hall. Almost immediately after he left and she was all alone, she noticed the air temperature in the room dropped. She shivered and moved her hands up to wrap them around herself and rub her arms for some friction.

The room was very eerie she noted now that she was alone. The faces on the walls were cold and their stern expressions unwelcoming. She tried to turn her attention elsewhere and studied the objects that were hung where there wasn't any past century paintings. There were a few old quilts with unrecognizable symbols on them, but what caught Amelia's attention the most was the large rectangle shaped object that hung on the north wall.

Curiosity lead her closer towards it as the old floors squeaked under her steps. From the shape it appeared to be the outline of a painting, but what she couldn't figure out was why there was a sheet thrown over it. She glanced around the grand room again and noted that none of the other smaller paintings had been covered, so why had this?

In the past, Amelia had gotten herself into trouble by touching things that she knew she shouldn't be touching. Either at guesthouses or museums, she would get the need to touch and examine whatever sparked her curiosity. Now she stood in an old manor like home that appeared abandoned and untouched for years and in front of a concealed piece of art... How could she possibly resist?

Amelia took a step closer to the painting, slowly lifting her petite hand to grasp the sheet and pull it off. At this point she was unaware of anything else around her, completely absorbed in what was before her. Though, if she had been paying attention, she'd have noticed that the chill in the air was being caused by a breeze that swirled softly around the room. The curtains that hung next to the _closed_ windows ruffled and swayed as the breeze blew in Amelia's direction.

Her fingers skidded the old white sheet as she was so close to her goal but froze instantly when the sheet ruffled and swayed.

Amelia yanked her hand back and spun around, suddenly feeling as though no longer alone the room. But when she turned around she saw that there was indeed no one else there. Her eyes shot to the tall windows and saw that they were sealed shut. This was an old house, so there was no way the AC could still possibly work and all of the windows were closed, so where did the breeze come from?

A chill raced down her spine and Amelia felt self-conscious about walking all the way across the large room by herself, like something would be following her from behind.

She glanced at the corridor where Arthur and the real estate woman traveled and wondered just how far she would have to run to get to them.

From the corner of her eye she spotted the sheet on the painting ruffle again and Amelia didn't think twice and sprinted to the other side of the room where the fireplace was. She nearly dove over the large couch and skidded to a stop next to the old stone mantle.

She stood there frozen, holding her breath and waiting for any unnatural sounds that she might miss from her rasping. When she didn't hear anything disturb the silence or see anything move, she let out a long breath and placed her hand on the stone to rest, which had been a mistake because it caused small rocks to fall and stirred up some old dust and possible ash.

Amelia's nose wiggled and before she knew it she started sneezing uncontrollably. All she could think to do to get herself to stop was move as far away from the fireplace as possibly. She started walking backwards, unable to know where she was going because of her constant sneezing.

She managed to move several feet away until her back bumped into something sturdy, thinking she bumped into the nearby wall, Amelia relaxed and let herself lean against it for support. She had sneezed her last sneeze and let out a long, shuddering breath to calm herself back down. The house was old, dusty, and creepy and Amelia knew she would never be able to last here if Arthur picked it. The cold floors, long corridors, creepy random air gust, there wasn't even the slightest bit of hope Arthur could convince her to live her. There was just no way.

The longer Amelia leaned against the wall she began to realize how warm it actually was. She could feel its heat through her coat and clothes and on her skin. It was a comfortable feeling compared to the rigid air from outside and in parts of the house. She briefly thought that she was leaning on one of the inner walls because the walls with the windows on them were too cold.

The entire time Amelia's eyes were still shut from her last sneeze. They felt wet and sensitive and she didn't want to risk opening them and getting more dust in them. A sigh left her lips, as she grew used to the growing warmth behind her. For once she didn't feel the need to sneeze or control herself from a spine jerking cold shiver. She felt comfortable and for some reason oddly secure.

From somewhere inside the large home she heard footsteps going down a flight of stairs and voices traveling closer. She instantly caught ear of Arthur's accent followed by the Russian woman's, but she wasn't quite able to understand what they were discussing as per usual.

Amelia was just about to push herself from the wall and regroup with the others when she suddenly felt something warm and firm wrap around her middle. The sensation reminded her of when Arthur would hug her from behind, but how could that be if nothing was behind her?

Amelia opened her eyes and blinked past the few remaining tears and peered down at her waist where she felt the sensation, only to see that nothing was there. The longer she stared in confusion she noticed the indenting of her blue coat where she felt the warm pressure. Her coat was wrinkled and pressed down like something was pressing up against her clothes. Almost as if there were a set of invisible arms.

A few empty seconds ticked on in Amelia's head before she yelped and leapt forward, trying to ignore the feeling that something was trying to loosely keep hold of her. She pushed the thought aside and spun around, not knowing what she find. Her mouth fell open when she discovered that she had actually not even been leaning against a wall at all. She was still standing the middle of the room. The closest wall was at least seven feet to her left.

Then what was she leaning on?

A tingle raced down her spine as the realization dawned.

Amelia had never run so fast since her days in track and field back in high school. The room was a blur to her as she sprinted her way across the room and down the hallway, in desperate need to get herself as far away from the room as possible. The hallway was dark and she hated the fact that she couldn't see what was on her sides but she focused on the light ahead of her that meant an opening.

When she reached the end of the hall she nearly crashed into Arthur who luckily stepped to the side and reached out to steady her by the shoulders.

The Russian woman eyed her from where she stood with a look of concern and fear growing from beneath all her makeup. Her eyes darted in the direction Amelia had ran from then back to the American girl who was gasping for air against her English boyfriend.

Arthur's dark eyebrows rose in bewilderment as he stared down at his fretting girlfriend. She was pale in the face and he could practically hear her heart racing out of control.

"Amelia, love? Are you all right?" He asked and she held up a finger that she needed a minute to answer him.

The Russian woman at that moment suddenly had a rush of energy and tapped Arthur on his shoulder to get his attention. "So," she started and ignored the rattled American. "You come by office now to sign paper? I will give great deal if signed today. So good you could not resist." She grinned and Arthur gave her a wearily look before looking back at his girlfriend.

"Um, yes." His green eyes glanced to Amelia then back to the woman. "We may go now if,"

"Da, da! Now would be best!" She then turned her stare on Amelia. "Will she come too?" She looked a bit uncertain but Arthur just thought it was because of her concern for his girlfriend.

"No, I'll be dropping her off at the hotel. It will only take a minute to do so." He assured her and the woman looked revealed and chuckled softly.

"I will follow in car. Now let us be going." She started walking towards the two large double front doors as Arthur dragged Amelia along with.

"W-warm... wall," she gasped between breaths and Arthur glanced wrapped an arm around her and walked them both to the doors. "T-too much...dust...sneeze."

"Amelia, please try and get ahold of yourself." Arthur insisted calmly and led her through the door.

"No..wall!" She rasped and Arthur gave her a confused look.

When they got to the car, Arthur opened the side door for her and placed her inside then ran around to the drivers seat and shut the door behind him.

"Where...going?" She now shivered and Arthur opened his mouth to answer but her sneeze cut him off.

He waited until she was done before he spoke. "I'm dropping you off at the hotel to rest and get something for your allergies. You'll be needing it for the next few months or more." He mumbled as he stretched around to see where he was going as he backed the car up.

"What?"

"Oh, were you not listening when inside?" He questioned and glanced at her then back to the long driveway that lead them away from the secluded manor. Amelia stared at him in a way that he knew she has not been paying attention earlier.

He smiled as if proudly and removed a hand from the wheel to squeeze her thigh. "I've decided that we're moving in to that charming old home."

Amelia felt her eyelid twitch at the news and the feeling of dust swirl around her nose as if she were going to sneeze. She was officially doomed.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Don't you just love ghostly love and tragic back stories? Great stuff. Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Amelia continued to sit in her spot in the front seat of Arthur's car as her boyfriend raced back and forth from the house to the moving truck. They had arrived at their _new_ home an hour ago and Amelia had yet to move from her spot despite Arthur's requests.

When he told her the news that he went ahead and purchased the old manor without discussing it with her, Amelia nearly exploded. After the news he had dropped her at their hotel and sped away to go sign the papers and make the payments. She stormed up to their room and spent the rest of the evening ordering food service and drinking Arthur's whisky he brought with them from England. Throughout her fit of furry she tried to convince herself that she was freaking out because of the new move but really she couldn't get over what had happened to her inside the home. She drank her worries away that night and greeted Arthur back to the hotel room with open arms and a near empty bottle on whisky. He nearly had a stroke but calmed down after finishing off the alcohol and celebrating their new purchase for most of the night.

Amelia crossed her arms over her chest and shivered as she glared daggers Arthur every chance she got when he passed the car. Now that she was sober and very much remembering why she was angry with him in the first place, she wanted nothing to do with moving in. She'd smirk proudly when Arthur would see her glaring and he'd frown and continue carrying their things into the house.

As much as she didn't want to speak with him at the moment she really wished he would give her the car keys so she could turn the heat on. She was beginning to see her breath and her arm hairs stood on end beneath her layered clothes.

Amelia jumped in her seat when there was a knock on her window and she saw her sneaky boyfriend staring at her past the glass, his car keys dangling from his hand. He was smirking at her and Amelia growled, hitting the window to shoo him away. He just laughed then leaned over and blew his warmed breath onto the window and made it fog up. She watched curiously as he wrote something into the fog with a finger.

_"__Cold__?"_

She read the written word aloud to herself and frowned up at him as he grinned at her knowingly.

This time Amelia put her face up to the window and blew but to her dismay, the fog didn't appear like it had for Arthur. She repeatedly kept trying until out of breath and Arthur laughing hysterically at her from the other side of the glass.

She narrowed her eyes at him and shivered while he continued to chuckle, his cheeks red from the amusement and frigid Russian air.

He placed his keys into his dark green coat pocket and patted it before turning and leaving to reenter the house.

Amelia bit her tongue in attempt to get her teeth to stop chattering and gazed up at the large, stone home. It certainly looked over a century old and she wondered just when the house was built and why away from the other homes. She peered to the roof and noticed small windows at the very top. Strange, the realtor didn't mention there was a third floor. Maybe it was just an attic.

She continued to gaze at the small pentagon shaped windows then turned her head in the direction of the woods, just missing the obscure shape that passed by the glass.

The woods were some distance from the house, leaving plenty of open space for all kinds of activities. Her mind wandered to the thought of growing a garden. She shivered violently and decided that gardening in this weather would be impossible. She'd have to wait till spring when the weather warmed up, that is _if_ the weather would ever warm up.

She was distracted when she spotted dark smoke rising from the side of the house. Arthur must have started a fire.

"Warmth.." She chewed her lip and scanned the area for any sign of her boyfriend. Maybe she could sneak out and dart inside and get the keys then race back to the car and turn it on. But what if Arthur never removed them from his jacket?

She darted her eyes at the smoke again and pictured the fire and heat emitting from it. She could practically smell the burning wood...and the dust. She couldn't forget the dust. Just the thought of it made her nose wiggle. Arthur had bought her lots of medicine to help her sneezing and she had it all stuffed in her over night bag, which was inside. She should've taken it before they arrived so she would've been prepared for the assault on her poor nose.

Amelia wanted to go inside but she also was slightly scared because of what happened last time and she didn't want Arthur to win in their little argument. She tugged at her blue coat to pull it more snuggly against her and leaned her head against the window for comfort. The clouds overhead looked as though ready to dump loads of snow upon them. Just what they needed...

With nothing interesting to stare at, Amelia gazed out towards the thick woods but froze in her seat when she spotted a dark figure standing amongst the trees. She blinked several times as if her eyes were messing with her and after each blink the figure was still there. A voice in her head was telling her to relax and that it was only a short tree or a large rock and nothing to be afraid of. She started to listen to the little voice until the shape moved and Amelia was able to make out the outline of a man. A very _tall_ and _broad_ man.

Amelia could feel her heart racing as she watched the dark figure move along the tree lines, almost as if pacing. Eventually it stopped and stood in a spot that was directly across from Amelia but still several yards away. She watched it, waiting to see what they'd do next.

Just when she thought they were going to turn around and go back into the woods, the person stepped away from the tree line and actually started making their way toward the car.

Damn her argument with Arthur and forget the creepy house, there was no way in hell she was going to be sticking around.

Amelia cursed and fumbled with the lock and handle before she finally got the door open. She kicked it shut behind her and sprinted up the walkway and practically flew up the stone steps. She secretly praised Arthur for leaving the door unlocked for her or else she would've kicked the door down.

The thought of dust didn't even cross her mind once she entered the house and the first thing she did was lock the door and run down the corridor like she did the other day.

She spotted Arthur standing by the fireplace, rummaging through a box of their things. Once seeing him she ran towards him and had to stop herself from throwing herself at him.

Arthur heard her and looked up from his sorting and grinned. "Ah, so my smoke signal worked did it?" He knew she would see the smoke and give in eventually and come inside, though he didn't think it'd take as long as it had. And why was she out of breath and pale like the last time?

"Person!" She gasped then swallowed and looked in the direction of the door that was down the hall.

Arthur lifted an eyebrow and glanced briefly at the hall. "Is there someone at the door?" He asked and Amelia shook her head, her short blonde hair swirling around her face as she did so.

"N-no! In the woods!" She looked panicked and Arthur didn't quite know how to respond or even believe what she was saying.

"You saw a person," he started out slowly as she looked up at him with her wide blue eyes. "In the woods?"

She nodded and nearly screamed when there was a sharp knock on the front doors. Both her and Arthur stiffened and turned their heads in the direction.

"Well I wonder who that may be." Arthur muttered and set the object in his hand back into the box. He started towards the door but Amelia quickly grabbed his upper arm.

"You're not seriously going to answer that are you?!" She hissed and tried to pull him back. He just gave her a disapproving look before glancing away when their door was knocked on again.

Amelia tightened her hold on him and gave him the look that insisted he better not leave.

"Now we're just being rude." Arthur argued lowly and tried to pull his arm free.

"Then let's be rude! Better rude and alive than stupid and dead!"

Arthur scuffed and finally managed to pull himself free from his girlfriend's tight grip. "Nobody is stupid and I can guarantee that nobody is going to end up _dead_." He turned and left before she could grab at him again.

Amelia played with her fingers nervously as she watched her boyfriend disappear down the hall. Oh how could he be so stupid! Didn't he pay attention to any of the horror movies they'd watch together!?

Not being able to stand by and let her boyfriend get slayed from some crazy Russian axe man, Amelia raced after him. She stopped at the end of the hall and peered around the wall into the entrance room and caught sight of her boyfriend standing next to the opened door. He was saying something but she couldn't quite pick up the words. Well at least he wasn't screaming bloody murder and was still breathing. That was good.

Amelia relaxed and stood there for a moment more before turning and following the heat back down the hall and into the living space. When she entered the grand living area she expected to be overwhelmed with dust like the last time but her nose didn't seem to be bothered. Sure the room smelt old and had a strange taste to the air, but it wasn't as bad as she remembered it to be.

She took a few steps into the room and surveyed the room's details like before. The old portraits and cultural possessions were still there as well as the giant shielded picture on the main north wall. This time Amelia didn't bother investigating the mysterious photo and let its contents to her imagination. The thought of that spooky breeze coming again made her instinctively move towards the lit fireplace and find comfort in the heat.

Since the incident from the other day Amelia had yet to tell Arthur the full story. She wasn't too sure if it was apart of her imagination or not yet. She wanted to dismiss it as nothing but her nerves playing a trick but it was hard to when it all felt so real. She was leaning on something and it was warm. There was no way she could've just been leaning in that position and not be against something. She didn't have that kind of balance.

Amelia plopped herself on the old couch and was immediately greeted with dust that flew into the air from the action. She coughed and waved it away until it all settled back down.

She tucked her legs underneath her and tried to get comfortable until her boyfriend returned from the door. She could faintly hear his voice and that assured her that he was still alive. She wondered whom he could be speaking with? Was it the man she saw in the woods? Maybe what she saw was a neighbor and that decided to greet them?

Amelia let her head fall back against the couch and stared up at the stone mantle and the strange objects placed atop it. They were covered in dust and webs so she couldn't quite tell what they were but she would get Arthur to clean them for her later. There was no way she was going to de-dust anything in this house.

Above the mantle and clasped to the stone was two crossed axes. She examined them and noted that they were different than ordinary axes for just cutting down trees. Maybe they were battle-axes? Was that a Russian thing? Wouldn't surprise her.

There was a clatter from somewhere in the room behind the couch and Amelia jerked in place. Her eyes got wide from the startle as she prayed it was just Arthur, but she knew that wasn't true because she could still hear her boyfriend by the front door.

Another loud clanking echoed in the room and Amelia found herself slowly rotating her head around. The only other sound in the room was the cracking of the fire and Amelia was hoping maybe the sound was just being projected more loudly across the room.

When she finally turned and faced the large space behind her, Amelia found that nothing was out of place. There wasn't a single painting disturbed or any objects on the ground. She couldn't find anything that would've made that noise.

She kept her eyes on the area in case something would happen again and she'd catch it this time. Though knowing her luck it wouldn't happen again until she turned around.

Having that in mind, Amelia turned back around and stared at the fire but kept her ears trained on space behind her. She had her head turned for only a view seconds and the strange noise came again. She was about to whip her head around but froze when the noise came again but louder and closer than before. She sat glued to the couch and listened as the noise increasing advanced toward her.

When it was just feet away, Amelia realized that the noise sounded more like heavy boots walking on the old, worn wood.

The heavy steps stopped behind her and Amelia held her breath, too scared to move a muscle and pretended to blend in with the couch. The flames in the great fireplace suddenly rose and sputtered furiously and Amelia watched in bewilderment as they twirled and danced like being bended. It was as memorizing as it was horrifying. It just wasn't natural.

The heat that radiated from the wild flames was warm on her face but that wasn't the only part of her that was increasingly growing warm. Past her blonde waves, she could feel something warm being blown onto the back of her neck. It made her shivers go away and actually felt very pleasant.

Her nerves started to ease but for some reason her heart was still beating rapidly against her chest. It was a confusing sensation that her mind and body didn't know how to react.

It was then that Amelia realized that what happened to her yesterday in the room was happening again. And just as she thought that, she felt warm pressure being placed on her shoulders. She went rigid and expected to be strangled but was stunned when the pressure moved against her and she felt her shoulder muscles being relieved.

First being hugged from behind and now she was being giving what she assumed was a massage? What the heck was her imagination trying to do to her head? That is, _if_ this all was apart of her imagination, which she really hoped it was.

She signed contently and relaxed her head back into the cushion as she felt the soothing pressure on her shoulders relax her. From the warmth and comfort she was finding against the couch, Amelia found herself starting to doze off. She was on the verge of sleep when there was an awkward cough coming from the side of the room.

Amelia snapped her eyes open and saw Arthur and the real estate woman Mrs. Yabe standing in the doorway. In that instant the flames dyed down back to small flares and the warmth and soothing pressure on her shoulders faded away. She frowned as the air behind her turned cold an made goose bumps rise on her exposed neck.

"Amelia," Arthur said trying to gain her attention. "Mrs. Yabe has come to check in on us." He gave her a smile that insisted for her to get off the couch and stand with them.

Amelia got up from her comfortable position and wobbled a bit since her legs were lacking blood flow because she had been sitting on them. She smiled as she made her way to the woman who eyed her suspiciously.

"Hey Mrs. Yabe," Amelia stuck out her hand but the Russian woman kept her hands to herself and if Amelia had known better it actually looked as though she recoiled slightly.

"So," Mrs. Yabe turned back to Arthur who seemed to have noticed her deny a greeting to his girlfriend. "How is house? Everything normal? No accidents?" She scanned Arthur briefly and Amelia realized her accent wasn't as thick as yesterdays.

"So far everything is just fine. Finally got the fire started," he grinned triumphantly and Amelia wondered if he had spent a lot of time trying to get the fire started. Probably not since he was excellent at getting fires started when in the kitchen. Most of the time they were unintentional.

Mrs. Yabe looked at the fire then back to him. "You did not burn yourself, da?" She seemed genuinely worried and Amelia couldn't help but to muffle a laugh.

Arthur's face turned red and he shot Amelia a disapproving look like she had told the woman he had a bad past with fires. "I can assure you I am unscathed Mrs. Yabe." He held up his hands as proof and she stared at them.

"Good. Just making sure. Starting fire on old logs can be tricky." She then turned to Amelia who was still grinning at her boyfriend.

"What of you?" She raised an eyebrow and Amelia saw Arthur give her a mocking stare just like the woman as a joke. Amelia rolled her eyes but grinned as she held up her hands.

"No scrapes on me!" She beamed and even spun around to prove her point. When she looked back at the woman she noticed she wasn't smiling or seemed amused.

"Nyet, I know no harm will befall on you. You are safe." Mrs. Yabe muttered and Arthur peered questionably at Amelia from behind the woman's shoulder.

"Um then what do ya mean, ma'am?" Amelia asked uncertainly.

Mrs. Yabe didn't say anything but just stared into Amelia's eyes intensely. Amelia stared awkwardly back as she thought about the question before her mind reminded her of the incident that happened yesterday and the one just moments ago.

Amelia fidgeted uncomfortably under her stare and found herself looking elsewhere in the room to avoid eye contact.

"So you have..." The middle aged Russian woman whispered lowly and Amelia almost didn't catch the soft-spoken words.

"What are you...?" Amelia started but the woman spun around and started towards the doors.

Arthur and Amelia shared a confused look before they both quickly followed the woman to catch up.

"Pardon me, Mrs. Yabe," Arthur announced and quickly grabbed the door handle before the woman could. It was either he wanted to be the gentleman and open it for her or he wanted her to leave when he was willing to let her. Most likely both.

"We are safe here, aren't we? This home is structurally sound?" He knitted his eyebrows in worry and waited for the woman to reply.

"Da." She responded but to which question they didn't know. Her eyes fell on Amelia then. "You will be safe. _He_ won't let anything happen to you I'm sure."

"You're right." Arthur nodded and looked at Amelia too. "I'll watch over you, love." He grinned and Mrs. Yabe gave him an anxious look like she felt bad for him.

"Uh great to know." Amelia smiled awkwardly back then nodded her head at the door and Arthur then remembered that he still had his hand on the knob. He opened it and the woman quickly stepped out and down the stone steps.

"I visit again sometime soon." She called back to the couple. "Remember you have my number. If you have questions please call."

Arthur and Amelia stood at the doors entrance of their new home and watched the woman drive off down their long drive way.

When the car was out of sight they moved away and shut the door behind them, not noticing the figure that stood watching them from the tree line of the woods.


	3. Chapter 3

That night Arthur and Amelia sat cuddled up together in front of the fireplace. They had finished lugging everything they brought with them from England into the house. Most of the boxes were just placed in the grand living room and were agreed upon that they would be sorted and put away the next day.

Amelia sighed and snuggled closer into her boyfriend's chest as she watched the small flames. Her arms ached from all the heavy lifting even though Arthur supposedly said she was carrying the lighter boxes. When she realized she had actually been carrying the heavier ones and that he tricked her, Amelia secretly put a bunch rocks into one of his boxes when he wasn't looking. She had to bite her tongue from laughter when his eyes nearly shot out of his head when he tried lifting it. She waited until he was inside and wouldn't hear her when she broke out in hysterical laughter. The box now was actually somewhere stacked with the others. She couldn't wait to see his face when he opened it and discovered all the rocks.

She giggled softly at the thought.

"What are you laughing at?" She heard him murmur quietly into her ear. His lips brushed her skin and caused her to giggle even more.

"I can't tell you yet." She just said simply and felt his lips turn downwards. "It's going to be a surprise." She finished.

"Oh? Is it a surprise for me?" He smiled again and his arms around her middle grew tighter, pressing her more securely against his chest.

She grinned and clasped her hands over his that were around her. "Hmm is just might be."

"Is that so?" He inquired playfully and started pressing his fingers into Amelia's sides. Her eyes got wide once she realized what he was about to do. She started squirming to get away but his hold on her was too strong.

"Tell me please?" He held her tighter when she tried to escape him. She knew what he was about to do and he wasn't about to let her get away so easily.

"I-I can't." She bit back a smile when his fingers started to move in place. "I-it's going to be a surprise!"

Arthur chuckled and pressed his face against the side of hers. "If you aren't going to tell me willingly then you leave me no choice."

Amelia gasped when Arthur's tickle assault at last began. She tried desperately to grab his hands and pull them away but she couldn't keep ahold of them as he racked them across her sides and stomach. The sensation had her laughing uncontrollably and unable to process any coherent sentences.

"S-stop!" She begged and laughed at the same time, also hearing Arthur behind her laughing along.

"Will you tell me of the surprise if I do?" He fingers paused in their assault and Amelia took that time to breathe.

She desperately wished she had said nothing at all when he asked. It wouldn't have gotten her into this mess to begin with and she really didn't want to tell him his surprise was a bunch of rocks. The thought made her laugh again and Arthur seemed to catch it.

"Is that a yes?"

Amelia giggled but bit her lips afterward to hide her amusement from him. He was seriously going to be so disappointed.

She just shook her head in response. If she told him the truth it would kill the mood and she was enjoying this playful side to him at the moment.

"Prefer to be stubborn do you?" Arthur quickly grabbed her waist firmly and heard her squeak in response. "Then I hope you're prepared for the consequences!"

Before Amelia could try and get away, Arthur flipped their positions and was now hovering over her, her wrist pinned above her head.

Arthur enjoyed the look of surprise in his girlfriend's eyes once she realized what had just happened. He smirked playfully at her and watched her expression closely as he straddled her hips. Her already surprised eyes got wider once she felt what he wanted her to. A blush spread across her lovely tan cheeks and Arthur had so resist leaning down and kissing them.

"Those aren't by chance your c-car keys are they?" Her voice wavered like it always did when embarrassed. After all the things they've done in the years they've been together, he'd think she would no longer be bashful, but Arthur didn't mind. He loved that about his beautiful American.

Instead of answering, Arthur just ground his hips atop hers, watching her eyes in the process. "What does it feel like to you?"

She looked away and shrugged like she didn't know but Arthur felt the way she moved her hips secretly under his.

No matter how many times her and Arthur had done it, Amelia never really got used to it. He was a lot more demanding in the region than she was and at times it was hard to keep up. But that didn't mean she didn't like it. She was 21 years old and despite her childish adventures and jargon, she very much thought of herself as a woman. But when it came to sex, something didn't completely feel right and she didn't know how to discuss it with Arthur without making him feel bad.

Arthur had confessed that he'd been with many of women before they met and that meant he was well experienced in the field while Amelia was not. She had been saving herself for that one special guy and that ended up being Arthur. He was her first and she wanted him to be her last, but that didn't mean she still did not wonder what it was like with other men. Maybe that feeling she got with Arthur was what it felt like for all people. Maybe it was normal.

But how would she ever know?

"Amelia." He said in a husky tone that made her look back up at him. His green eyes were filled with arousal and desire and were glued onto her. She watched them trial to her neck and a bit lower then back to her face. She swallowed nervously and waited for what he would do next. She was never too good at taking the lead.

"How about we break in this old couch, hm?" He hummed and ground his hips harder onto hers then leaned down and started trailing wet kisses on the side of her neck.

Amelia's fingers flexed under his grip as she felt his lips massage her skin. Her neck was a sensitive spot and he knew it and would always start there first. As he kissed her neck she waited for that tingling sensation she would feel in his lower abdomen, but it never came. She could feel heart racing but not for the reason that it should be.

She squirmed underneath him and tried removing her wrist from his grasp. Something didn't feel right.

Arthur felt her move under him and took it in a way that she wanted more contact. He removed one of his hands that he used to secure her wrist and rested it on her hipbone. She stopped moving then but he didn't notice and slid his hand under her shirt.

When Amelia felt his fingers touch the soft skin of her exposed hip then trail his hand upwards under her shirt, she couldn't help but to shiver. His touch was no longer warm like it used to be. Now it just felt...cold.

Amelia tried to relax and told herself it was just because she was in a new home and it was freezing outside. The weather and location were just as keen players as the two participants.

She looked past the strands of her boyfriend's blonde hair and gazed at the wall across from them, though she found herself immediately regretting it. Staring right back at her were the lifeless eyes of all the old creepy portraits. It felt like they had an audience even though they were just mere drawings.

When Arthur's hand cupped one of her breast her eyes shot back to the on looking painted faces and felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her.

_They're just paintings._ She repeated in her head to calm herself down. _Nobody can see what we're doing. We're completely alone...right_?

"Arthur?" She mumbled into his ear and he groaned in response.

He started to nip her neck and she twitched at the odd feeling. "I'm actually kinda tired and change my mind." She felt him pause and thought he was listening to what she asked until the hand on her breast tightened.

"Then how about I wake you up? I'm sure I can think of a few ways." He purred against her then latched his mouth into her neck and started sucking.

"W-Wait, Arthur!" She was slightly startled by the action and tried yanking her hands free so she could push him away.

She looked back to their audience that hung from the wall as they watched on with stern expressions.

Amelia again tried to wiggle herself out from under him but he was too heavy and his legs securely straddled her. With her hands clasped together and her waist forced down, she felt completely vulnerable and the eyes from above only continued to watch.

"Arthur, please! I said I was tired now get off!" Her impatientness was evident in her voice and she hoped that Arthur would hear and get the message.

He was too distracted in what he was doing that he didn't heed and Amelia felt her uneasiness rising, feeling more and more uncomfortable and exposed.

"I said _stop!_" She demanded loud enough for him to hear but that wasn't what got him off of her.

Right after she shouted at him the flames in the fireplace erupted furiously, the carved stone barely able to contain the flames. The roaring sound of it bursting to life caused Arthur to fling straight up in alarm. Before he could even get a grasp of the situation the couch rattled under him and he lost balance by being on his knees and went crashing to the floor. He tumbled some distance away as if the floorboards were rolling him further off.

Amelia laid there in shock as the heat from the wild flames licked at her side. Having his weight off her made her feel relieved and like she could breathe again. The pressure from the eyes on the wall seemed to fade away too and Amelia felt her inner confidence rebuilding.

Somewhere on the floor she could hear Arthur rolling around but she didn't bother and look. Her heart rate was still calming down and she didn't want to look at him just yet.

She lifted her head to look at her clothes before adjusting her shirt and pulling the end neatly back down. She laid her head back onto the cushion and let out a soft breath, trying to figure out what had come over her to react in such a way. Never had she pushed Arthur away or resisted his caresses. His touches were always good-natured and she enjoyed them but something about his hands being on her now and in this house just felt weird. Like it wasn't right in some strange way.

Amelia heard Arthur groan and she sprang upwards, almost forgetting that he had tumbled to the floor. When she looked for him she noticed the flames had died back down but left a comfortable warmness in the air.

"Arthur?" She whispered.

He groaned again and Amelia spotted him slowly rising to his hands and knees about six feet away from her. He had even managed to roll under the coffee table and past that.

"You okay?" She felt bad as she watched him sit up.

"The bloody hell was that?" He sounded winded and started rubbing the side of his head. "The fire just went ballistic for no apparent reason." As if remembering he spun around and checked on it.

"It's uh, actually done that before." She smiled uneasily and he shot her a disoriented look.

"You've seen the fire explode?" He questioned skeptically and raised an eyebrow.

Amelia thought back to earlier that day when she had been resting on the couch. "Yeah, like, right before you and the real estate lady walked in this afternoon while I was relaxing."

"And you didn't think to tell me about this sooner?" It sounded like he was getting irritated for no good reason and Amelia wasn't about to put up with that.

"I didn't think it would be a reoccurring thing! If it happens again then I'll be sure to tell you!" She snapped then got up off the couch and started walking away. Almost instantly though she heard Arthur scramble to get off the floor and come after her.

"Amelia," he reached out and gently grabbed at her wrist. She stopped and turned around to look at him, seeing his brows knitted down in worry.

"I'm not blaming you for anything. I'm sorry if it came off that way. It's just I'm still a little shaken from what happened and," he swallowed and Amelia saw regret fill his eyes. "And for what I did to you. I should've backed off when you first said so. I'm sorry."

Amelia sighed and stepped closer to him and grabbed both his hands. She held them in between them and stared at their connected fingers. "I shouldn't have freaked out like that. If I was uncomfortable then I should've said so sooner." She smiled and looked at him. "I forgive you."

Arthur let out a sigh of relief and leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "From now on let's be straight forward and listen to each other, ok? I don't think I could stand having you angry with me over my own foolishness."

Amelia snickered at that. "Foolishness is right! I mean did you even hear yourself? _'Let's break this old couch in'_." She put on a corny deep English accent as she mocked Arthur's words from earlier. "You really know how to set the mood don't ya?"

"You do realize that it's you who makes me utter those absurd things?" He joked and she shrugged.

"I have that affect on people. What can I say?"

Arthur stared at her for a moment before cracking a grin. "Well you can start by apologizing and-" he started laughing when his girlfriend yanked her hands from his and started beating on him. He put up his arms for defense against the swipes.

"You jerk! Forget this I'm going up stairs." She spun around and started making her way towards the hall but stopped right before entering. She turned to look back at Arthur with a guilty expression.

"Um, don't suppose you wanna tag along?"

Arthur raised an eyebrow at her as he started making his way towards his girlfriend. "Scared are we?"

"Am not! It's dark and I don't know where our room is and I may trip up the stairs or something!" In her defense it was really dark because they didn't have power yet in the house. An electrician was coming the next day to work on the lighting, heating, and apparently pluming. The guy did all three.

Arthur grabbed her hand and started pulling her along down the hall that had a few candles lit along the way. "Don't worry love, your shining knight will lead the way."

"Oh my hero.." She grumbled and heard Arthur snort a laugh.

When they reached the staircase Amelia couldn't help but to gasp at how large and grand it was. It started out extensive then curved in the middle before expanding out again. At the top of the steps you had the option of going right, left, or straight down the middle. When she and Arthur reached the top he pulled her with him to the left and began down a long corridor that was dimly lit.

"What's down here?" She asked and watched as they passed several doors on their right side. The left side of the wall had paintings hung and a few candles and old light fixtures.

"I was told that this was the guest wing. Apparently the previous owners had many guest so they kept extra rooms on hand and always in good condition. We'll be staying in the finest room that I could find when I was touring with Mrs. Yabe. I think you'll like it." He turned to smile at her but she was too focused on all the tiny details of the hall. From the dark ruby colored rug with diamond like designs, or the pale gold walls and that hung many landscape paintings. She especially loved the paintings.

They suddenly stopped at one of the doors near the end of the hall and Amelia watched Arthur give the worn knob a few jerks before it finally opened.

He stood out of the way and extended an arm out towards the room. "Welcome to our new room."

Amelia walked past him and into the bedroom, her eyes darting to every little thing that caught her attention. "It's beautiful." She breathed and grinned as she spun around to take it all in.

The floor was a dark oak like the rest of the house but wasn't as worn and cracked. She also noted how they didn't squeak when she walked over the old boards. In the middle of the room was a large rug made up of all different blues and gold's. The patterns were obviously of native design to the country and she found that fascinating.

"I had a feeling you'd like this room. It's the bluest of them all." And Arthur was most certainly right by that. The walls were a deep sapphire color as well as the blue and white bed sheets. When Amelia's eyes fell on the large bed she couldn't believe how big it was. It had a large hand carved wooden bedpost and four pillars on each corner of the bed.

"It looks fit for a king." She gawked at the expansive bed.

Arthur walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle and pulled her close. The action made Amelia slightly cringe.

"More like a queen." He kissed the side of her head and leaned his chin on her shoulder.

"Um.." Amelia cleared her throat to come up with something to make sure their conversation didn't sway in another suggestive direction.

"Soo why are we staying in the guest room and not the master?" She heard Arthur sigh and then pull away. She looked back to see him frowning and apparently thinking something over in his head that was troubling him.

"The master bedroom will be needing a lot of work done before we will ever be able to stay in there."

"Why's that?" She asked curiously.

"Mrs. Yabe at first didn't wish to show me the room but after I continuously insisted she finally gave in. The room was locked and for a very good reason because it's a bloody hazard. It appeared that the previous owner went mad and demolished the room completely. Every piece of fabric is torn and wood smashed." He sighed and moved towards a chair in the corner of the room and sat down. Amelia followed him and sat in the chair opposite of his.

As soon as she heard that the old owner went crazy and destroyed the room, Amelia couldn't help but to feel saddened by the tale. It unnerved her that someone was so angered that they would do such a thing. It almost pained her to ask Arthur why.

"What happened to them to make them do that? It must've been pretty horrible..."

Arthur stared at her for a long while from his chair. It looked as though he was thinking something over but didn't want to say it aloud.

"Amelia, love," he called gently. "You _did_ hear the story of what happened from Mrs. Yabe yesterday, correct?"

Amelia remembered all the little snips she was able to get and put them together to her understanding. "Yeah that a married couple used to live here like a hundred or so years ago but something happened and they separated. Right?" But something in her was saying that she was wrong and a part of her knew that. The words didn't feel right when she said them and wished she hadn't said anything at all. Almost as if she disrespected the true story.

Arthur grinned kindly at her. "Well in a way you aren't completely wrong."

"What do you mean by that? So the couple didn't separate?"

"In a way, I suppose. Just not in the way that you may be thinking."

Amelia opened her mouth to ask what he meant but stopped when she felt something warm and heavy rest on her shoulder. Without turning her head she just glanced from the corner of her eye.

But nothing was there.

The pressure on her right shoulder felt reassuring and Amelia let any more questions go about the past owners. Of course she was still curious but she also had a terrible feeling that the truth would affect her in a great way.

Later on after they both prepared themselves for bed, Amelia laid awake on her side of the large bed all snuggled up with the blankets. Arthur was already fast asleep on his side of bed. It was normal for him to sleep alone on his side of the bed. He wasn't a big cuddlier and preferred to have his space while trying to sleep. Some nights Amelia would have to beg him to cuddle with her after making love. She didn't know how he could be so intimate with one act but completely distant with another.

She gazed at the backside of his messy blond hair before rotating and facing the window. The blinds were drawn shut but she imagined that the night sky beyond that was clear and the stars were out. Maybe there was even a full moon.

She continued to imagine the night sky until her eyelids grew heavy and she found herself struggling to stay awake.

The last thing she remembered before drifting off was a soothing warmth brushing the side of her head. It was that heat that made her slip away and quickly fall into a glamorous dream. A dream of women in colorful dresses and men in fancy attire that would sway their dates to charming music.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>It's your reviews that get these suckers out, so help a sista out! Thanks for reading.


	4. Chapter 4

If it weren't for a low and annoying rumbling noise, Amelia would've still been comfortably asleep. Her eyes fluttered open after a moment of relaxing to stare up into the tall ceiling with horizontal arcs. For a moment she thought she was in a church she visited frequently as a child before her memory of the past couple of days finally sank in.

She was in her new home in Russia with her boyfriend. A home that her boyfriend went ahead and bought without discussing it with her first. A home that gave her frequent sneeze attacks and made her body have spasms because of the odd airflow.

Ah yes, this was her new home now, and to think it all wouldn't have been possible without her dear, darling, considerate, boy-

Amelia had rolled over to greet the man but discovered him absent from his side of the bed.

She turned her head toward the blinds to find that they were still shut but a thin slither of the suns rays was able to make it through. It couldn't have been that late in the day for him to have left and go to work had it?

As she panicked that she over slept and wasted the day away, a strange noise come from the floor, rattling the bed. Then there was a low moan and another thud and Amelia was seconds from hiding under the covers until she heard a familiar accented grumpy voice.

"Bloody hell am I doing on the ground?"

Amelia sprang up after hearing that and crawled across the bed to where her boyfriend had slept. During her crawl she noticed all of the thick covers had been pulled to her side, which was odd because Amelia had never been one to hog the blankets.

She peeked over the edge and there she saw her boyfriend, sitting upright on the ground in a state of confusion. His dark brows were knitted down as his tired, irritated eyes narrowed in puzzlement. He rubbed the side of his head as if sore and winced when he touched a particular spot.

"Hey Artie, whatcha doin' down there?" Amelia asked out of honest interest.

Arthur frowned up at her. Either because of the nickname or the blunt question. "I honestly don't know. I suppose I fell, but I've never been one to roll around in my sleep." He leaned back on his hand and seemed to pounder it noiselessly to himself.

Amelia couldn't help but to sneak a grin when he looked away. The idea of Arthur rolling around restless then tumbling off the bed was adorable in a way. The bed was very large so the distance from the top of the mattress to the floor was pretty steep. What made it even more amusing was that the fall didn't even wake him. He slept through the whole thing and spent his night down there.

The grin from her face fell quickly though when Arthur staggered to stand up. He leaned on the bedside table and rubbed the spot on his head that was sore. At first he was still deep in thought but Amelia saw something in his eyes when they landed on her side of the bed. They darted back and forth from his side to hers before finally landing on Amelia.

"Why is it that you have all the sheets?" He questioned and the American inspected the collection on her side. She shrugged and looked innocently back at him.

"Beats me. I wasn't even cold last night."

Arthur scuffed and rolled his eyes. "Well that's no surprise since you had all the sheets to keep warm with."

Amelia narrowed her eyes at him then. "Are you insisting that I stole them off you?"

"Then proceed in kicking me off the bed? I can't deny that wouldn't surprise me with your strong legs." He mocked then crossed his arms over his white night shirt.

"Trust me buster, if I kicked you you'd be hurting in a hell lot more places than just your head." She growled and repeated his action by crossing her own arms. She even puffed her chest and raised her head to be equal with his.

Arthur stared at her for a long moment before sighing and shaking his head. He uncrossed his arms moved to the bed to sit down next to her. She watched him suspiciously before flushing when he leaned over and wrapped an around her and brought her into his side. He kissed the side of her head then leaned his own against it.

"You're right. If you had kicked me then I'm almost positive I'd be on the complete other side of the room." He chuckled softly and Amelia felt his side vibrant. "And how would I know whether I roll in my sleep or not? I'm asleep after all. I can't know what and what not I do for sure."

Amelia grinned and leaned comfortably into him. It was near impossible to stay angry with him when he was always the one that gave in first and apologized or asked for forgiveness.

"In a way that's what you're there for." He continued and shrugged. "Someone's got to inform me of what I do in my sleep."

Amelia cracked a grin and leaned away to look at him, seeing that he had a small smile playing on his lips as well. "_That's_ what I'm there for in bed? Making sure you don't go crazy in your sleep?"

"That and other things." He murmured huskily and leaned back down to kiss her cheek.

Amelia giggled and tried pulling away from him but he already had his arms around her and pulling her closer. They laughed as he continued to place kisses on her cheek as they teased each other.

Somewhere inside her Amelia felt something off but she put it aside and let boyfriend be playful with her. Arthur was just about to lean her back into the mattress when there suddenly was a loud clash that came from the hallway.

They both stopped and in what they were doing and snapped their heads in the direction of the door.

Amelia was first to speak to break the silence. "What was that?" She whispered and kept her eyes on the door.

Arthur got off the bed and stood there silently, straining his ears for any other particular noises from beyond the door. "It sounded like glass shattered...I wonder..." He murmured in consideration then started creeping towards the door.

"Arthur! What do you think you're doing!?" Amelia hissed fiercely at him and scrambled off the bed, her landing on the ground causing loud thump and Arthur turned to frown at her.

"To check for the source of that noise obviously." He said evidently and turned back around.

"What!? Are you insane!?" She continued to hiss and tip toed her way up behind him. "That's just what it wants you do to! Don't be the dumb hero because cause they always get the axe!"

Arthur suppressed a groan but didn't cease in his approach. His girlfriend always had a horror movie reference for just about everything that went bump in the night or in this case, the morning.

"It's an old house, love, things do fall apart after years of being untended for. It shouldn't be a surprise to either of us considering our share of old apartments back in the UK." They both stood at the door but with Arthur closest since Amelia held her position behind her like a barrier.

Each and every time something frightened his American girlfriend; she would use him as her shield. There was even a time that he recalled being shoved into what she thought was a monster so she could escape. "_Your sacrifice won't be forgotten!_" were her exact words as she fled the scene. She later called him that night asking if he had gotten eaten or not.

"Nobody will be getting the _axe_," he mimicked her exact word choice with his fingers. "There's nothing out there and I'll prove it." He insisted and Amelia ducked when he reached for the doorknob and twisted it.

The creaking of the door really didn't help matters for Amelia as she trembled and watched from over Arthur's shoulders. She almost slapped Arthur in the back of the head when he suddenly jerked and scared the living daylights out of her. He chuckled and shook his head then ventured out into the hall.

Amelia stayed in the room and peered out from behind the door. If there were a crazy axe-swinging maniac, then that door would be slammed shut and locked before thinking twice. Arthur was a great guy and all but-

"Just as I thought." She focused on her boyfriend again who had his hands on his hips and was staring down at something. He moved away from her sight when he made his way further down.

"Creepy axe swinging Russian maniac?" She asked then peeked for herself. Arthur was a few feet away and was kneeling on the ground facing the left wall. It appeared he had something in his hand but Amelia couldn't tell what.

"Worse..." He shook his head and turned to her, holding up the reflecting thin item in his hand. "A shattered light bulb. You know what that means."

"We're going to have to make a run to the hardware store?" Amelia whined and leaned against the doorframe. "Dibs on not driving."

"What? No." Arthur shook his head at her and frowned. He used his other hand to point to the glass in his hand and rest on the ground. "Its broken glass. It's dangerous and I don't plan on going to the hospital and getting stitches if one of us were to step on it."

"Oh you're right, and Russian hospitals are supposed to be like totally freaky too. I can name at least a dozen horror flicks that take place in some old spooky Russian hospital. Totally not on my to do list while in this country." She sighed and crossed her arms seemingly hundred percent serious with what she just stated.

Arthur just stared at her incredibly, not really knowing how to respond or rationalize what all she said. First off he was positive Russian hospitals were just as equally comparable to the rest in Europe, more so or less, and secondly he seriously needed to limit his girlfriends intake of movies from the horror genre.

"Anyhow," he cleared his throat and stood up. "This will need to be cleaned up before we forget about it. Amelia,"

He caught her trying to sneak back into the room. She stopped when she heard him call her name and she cringed like she ready knew what he was about to ask of her.

"Would you mind getting the broom and dust pan for me from downstairs? They should be in the broom cabinet on the left side of the hall near the stairs."

Her eyes darted down the long hall then back to him. "Alone?"

"I don't see a point of us both going, so yes." He nodded and gave her an obvious look. She looked like she wanted to protest but instead just frowned and grumbled under breath.

Amelia turned her back on him and started making her way down the long hall. Behind her she could hear glass being scooted around and she hoped that Arthur wasn't using his hands to do it. If he wasn't careful he was going to end up cutting himself because of his impatientness. She wasn't even around the corner and he was already trying to get the job done.

As Amelia walked she noticed a change in the interior that was different than the first time she walked through the hall. The walls were lighter and the air didn't feel as dark and heavy like before. Tiny dust particles floated in the air and Amelia barely felt them when she breathed the air in. When she stared straight ahead she found that the reason everything had a light and softer tone was because of the sunlight that filtered in through the halls end window.

When she turned onto the level where the great stairs led down, she had to stop and take in the sight before her. The window that overlooked the entrance room was massive and the light poured in beautifully. Beyond the glass were the tips of green pines from the dense forest. She reached a hand out to grasp the railing to steady herself when she walked down the steps so she could continue to take in everything around her.

Hanging high from the ceiling was a chandelier but it was draped over with a grey sheet. She had a feeling that the chandelier was made up with beautiful crystals and when the light shined through them they would shimmer beautifully. Maybe they could ask the electrician to uncover the hanging piece when he worked on the rest of the house.

To Amelia's luck and relief the broom closest was right where Arthur had said it would be. When she first opened it she half expected a bunch of skeletons to fall over her, so she had hid behind the door and opened it cautiously. The broom was old and she stared at it thinking it would make more of a mess than it could clean up but it was the only one in there. The little pan that she had been hoping to find turned out to be more of a steel bucket. At least the handle was still attached although it was a bit wobbly.

On the trip at back up the stairs, Amelia ended up running and skipping every other step as she climbed. She swore she heard a noise behind her when in the corridor and didn't even hesitate to get right back up those steps as quickly as possible.

The steel bucket clanked at her side as she sped walked down the long hall to where her boyfriend was standing along the wall. He heard the loud rattling sound and glanced up to see her rushing in his direction before his eyes fell on the old bucket.

"Is that really the only container that was in there?" He took it hesitantly when she offered it and the broom to him.

"Yes." She panted then swallowed and shook her head. "I mean no. Ugh, I don't know."

Arthur gave her a confused look before he noticed her reddened cheeks and her normal bed head even more amiss than usual. The way that she stood before him indicated that she felt uncomfortable having her back completely to the hall by the way she stood. Her eyes would also dart down from where she came almost as if nervous.

"Why is it that you don't know? You did open the first door by the stairs on your left, correct?"

"Well yeah, but-"

"But what?" He raised and eyebrow and she did one of her uncertain smiles and started playing with her fingers.

"I heard something and kinda didn't wait around to find out what it was."

Arthur frowned at that. "I've already told you that we live in an old house, love. It's going to make noises every now and then. It's just what old homes do."

She gave him a pleading look then surveyed down the hall where the stairs were. She wanted to tell him that what she heard wasn't like what he thought. She lived in the old houses in England and even century old ones back home in America, so she knew what old homes sounded like and the noises here weren't the same.

"But these aren't natural, Artie. Something doesn't feel right and I can't really express it but I _know_ I feel _something_." She waited for him to respond as he silently swept up the glass. That's when she noticed he was only using one hand and had the other tucked against his chest.

"What's wrong with your hand?" She kneeled down to his level and he paused in his sweeping but didn't look at her.

"It's nothing. Glass just nicked me is all."

"Show me." She insisted softly and he finally looked at her before removing his hand from his shirt. Amelia's gasped and immediately reached out to cradle his hand in hers. There was a thin but long cut along his palm on his right hand. He tried pulling away from her but she wouldn't allow it.

"Its nothing really. Looks worse than it really is with the blood and all. Just needs a cleaning and small band aid."

Amelia remembered how she heard him trying to clean up the glass when she left him to get the broom from downstairs. If he had just waited like he was supposed to then he wouldn't have gotten himself hurt.

"You couldn't have waited for me to get back?" She examined his hand closely and for any shards still remaining.

"It's not like I was playing around in it." He snapped defensively. "All I did was push it up against the wall. I honestly don't understand how I even managed to get this with how careful I was." He pulled his hand away and stared at. "Almost as though it had done it on purpose." He muttered and Amelia saw the way his eyes narrowed like they did when in deep thought.

"You should let me finish cleaning it up then. I don't want you putting anymore pressure on the wound and go have it cleaned." She was already removing the broom from his other hand. "Plus you should get ready for when that extreme Russian handy man comes."

"You're right. It wouldn't be professional of me to answer in night clothes and one hand covered in blood." He stood and smiled down at his girlfriend who grinned up at him. "I'll get this cleaned up right away."

Amelia watched him return to their room and close the door behind him to change. Instead of sweeping right away she just continued to kneel there and wonder why Arthur always would shut the door when changing or even taking a shower. It was like he still wasn't comfortable changing in front of her after all this time. She shook her head of the thought and focused on the glass. It was just Arthur's character though. He was so conservative and at times uptight about things.

Amelia hummed softly to herself as she swept the shards into a pile then tipped the bucket and scooted them inside. She made sure to check in between the cracks and even stepped back to see if the glass managed to reach the rug.

She picked up the bucket with her free hand and started making her way down the hall. She didn't think twice about going alone since Arthur was too preoccupied with treating his injury and getting ready for the repairman. Right when she turned and walked along the banister, her mind went right back to the chandler. She slowed down to stare at the small crystals that peeked through. Once they had it uncovered and cleaned up along with the rest of the house, Amelia could imagine how picturesque it all would be. She might even be able to look past the creepy noises and invisible forces.

Amelia's hands were full so she wasn't able to hold onto the railing, so she made sure to walk more cautiously and really feel each step. Her attention was drifted away with thoughts of their new and cleaned up home that she didn't notice that someone was approaching the door. If she had her eyes straight ahead then she would've saw them through the glass, but unfortunately her attention was elsewhere as usual.

She was about half way down the stairs and had her foot out to take another step when there suddenly was a loud chiming that echoed throughout the entrance foyer. The sound was so loud and startling that it caused Amelia to over step and lose her balance and go flying forward.

She remembered gravity pulling her down and the steps completely leaving her toes. Glass shards from inside the bucket flew free and glistened in the air around her. The scene would've been beautiful if Amelia had not been flying along with the glass and possibly landing on them once she made contact with the steps and tumbled. Her heart did that leap but she never felt it go back down. It was in her throat where her absent scream was being caught.

She was just about to close her eyes to protect them from the glass when she felt herself being tugged away from the floating shards. Something sturdy was spun around her middle and held her in place. She watched in admiration when the glass froze in midair and glistened beautifully like frozen droplets of rain. When she looked down she gasped and saw that she too was floating in midair.

"H-How..." She breathed then watched in amazement as all the glass pieces floated back into the bucket. The broom and steel container were gradually placed on the ground floor and every thing became silent.

The pressure around her held her in place for a few seconds more until she felt herself start to drift down the all the steps she thought she was going to tumbling on. She didn't say anything when her feet were softly placed on the wooden floor with her items a few feet from her. The warmth around her middle didn't fade and Amelia felt as though the source of that heat was not just wrapped around her, but was also standing right before her.

A warm puff of air blew into her face and her breath hitched. The pressure around her tightened for a moment and Amelia found herself stepping forward, getting closer to the invisible force.

She stared up past her lashes at where she assumed a face would be if somebody were there with her. As incredibly nervous and frightened as she was, she somehow managed to get her voice to work.

"Thank you..." It was just a whisper, so soft and quiet that she barely heard it for herself when she spoke it.

There was a soothing heat advancing towards her face and she almost closed her eyes when a comforting heaviness was placed on her cheek. She smiled softly and leaned into her, her cheek tingling from the sensation.

Just when Amelia was getting the confidence to say something else, the warmth around her disappeared and she found herself reaching to her cheek to somehow hold onto whatever was there. She almost wanted to tell whatever it was to wait but another voice shattered the stillness.

"Amelia? What are you doing just standing there?" She looked up to see Arthur finishing buttoning up his white shirt and racing down the stairs. She almost told him to slow down and be careful after what just happened to her.

"I.." But she didn't know what to say. Would he even believe her is she told him? Probably not.

"You could've at least gotten the door." He grumbled and slipped past her, almost running into the bucket and muttering a curse.

She stood there for a second more in reflection before grabbing the bucket and broom and racing down the hall. Behind her she heard Arthur greeting the repairman but she paid them no mind and continued to the kitchen to dispose of the glass and then go searching for a certain woman's phone number.

She had a very important call to make.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Thank you all so much for the reviews from the last chapter. Love reading them and seeing what you all think.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** At some point in this chapter Amelia will be speaking with Mrs. Yabe on the phone and everything that she will say will be in italics. Just a heads up.

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><p>She'd admit that she could've been a bit more responsible when disposing the broken glass into the trash bin, but the glass was just a useless task in her way of what she really had her mind set on.<p>

Her bare feet padded along the cold wood as she raced around the kitchen, opening just about every cabinet that was within reach. Inside one of them had to have the little book that contained all their family and friends phone numbers. Arthur always placed the little scarlet book in a dresser in the kitchen for some reason. He thought it would be considered safe to have important numbers written down in case they were erased from their phones or an emergency arouse.

Some of the cabinets were pretty jammed in their nook and Amelia had to forcefully wiggle a couple of them free. She might have yanked a little too hard on some though when the small copper handles would pop right off. If Arthur asked then she would just shrug and say she had no idea how they broke.

"Dammit, Artie…" Amelia placed her hands on her narrow hips and let out an irritated sigh. If the address book wasn't yet in the kitchen, then there was a chance that it was still somewhere bundled away with the rest of their possessions in the moving boxes. There was no way she was about to tackle that project just yet.

She tapped her finger against her hip as she thought about what was her next course of action. There was a possibility that Mrs. Yabe would stop by to check up on them again but she couldn't be for sure when that might happen or if she actually would.

Amelia was pulled out of her thoughts when someone new emerged from the doorway. She turned her head and made eye contact with a short stocky man who had frozen in place once their gazes met. His dark brown eyes focused for a moment on her before getting wide and startled. His fuzzy mustache rose when his mouth opened to speak but no words came out.

The surprised and dazed look on his face only lasted for a few seconds before it was replaced by something more suspicious and uncertain. His mouth closed into a straight line and Amelia watched his eyes pin her like he had just caught her in act of doing something she wasn't supposed to do.

"Um, hello," she smiled awkwardly but her grin fell when he only continued to glare at her.

The room was silent and Amelia had a feeling that the short man wasn't going to say anything or do whatever he intended to do in the room before running into her. Well this was getting awkward…er.

"Right." She nodded and started moving in the opposite direction to escape down the other hall that wasn't being blocked by a creepy repairman. "I'll just leave so you can do your thing. Whatever that may be."

He didn't respond and just watched her back away and she swore she felt his grim gaze on her back as she fled down the hallway. It wasn't until she rounded the corner that she could relax and briefly wonder what the heck that guy's problem was.

She looked down and noted how she was still in her pajamas, which consisted of dark blue and white star patterned shorts and one of Arthurs baggy white V-necks. Was it perhaps her shorts were too short or was it the small line of her cleavage that was exposed because of the loose shirt? He didn't seem to be looking at her clothes during their stare off so she was left with nothing.

Amelia pushed herself away from the wall that she had been leaning against and wandered further down the hall that was illuminated with light from the large glass window in the foyer. When she stepped into the open space and had a full view of the bright room, her eyes immediately fell on the staircase.

The still fresh scene from earlier replayed in her mind for the first time since the accident happened. There was just no way that she could've imagined it all. She knew that she fell and she knew that something unnatural had stepped in and saved her from a horrible mishap. The scene of the glass freezing and floating around her had been beautiful and even repelling. What if she had fallen? There was no way she would've been able to avoid landing on the glass.

_Something_ made the glass freeze and _something_ caught her from a certain ruin.

But was that mysterious _something_ not really a _thing_ but instead a…

No.

Amelia closed her eyes and shook her head of the idea. There was no way she could deal with the possibly of something lurking around their home. It was just she and Arthur and nobody else…well, besides the weird repairman, but that's it! Just the two of them once the little dude left!

She gradually opened her eyes again but didn't make any move from her spot. If she called Mrs. Yabe and asked what was going on and found out there actually was something supernatural in the house, then Amelia wasn't too sure if she wanted to call the woman anymore. Her curious brain wanted an answer to all what was going on but maybe it was for the best if she didn't. Ignorance was bliss, right?

Amelia decided then that she wasn't going to call their realtor. It wasn't worth scaring herself and fearing her new home. Whatever happened happened and she was just going to accept it.

Well at least that's what she told herself before she spotted her boyfriend walking into the foyer from the other side of the room. He was just a few steps in then paused when he spotted her standing opposite from him. He stared at her vacuously then opened his mouth to question what she was up to but his question drifted from his thoughts when his American girlfriend suddenly darted at him. The next thing he knew he was against the wall after she collided into his chest. He looked down startled at her but his girlfriend's eyes were elsewhere on him. His body went rigid when he unexpectedly felt her petite hand slip into his left trouser pocket and start to roam around.

Immediately when her eyes fell on Arthur, Amelia came to realize that he had his work cell phone on him, meaning he had Mrs. Yabe's number. She honestly couldn't explain what possessed her to run full speed at him but because of that she had been able to stun Arthur and even pin him against the wall and from escaping her. She didn't waste any time and quickly reached in his pants pocket in search of his cell phone. His pocket was deeper than she expected and she really had to reach in there to find what she knew was somewhere in there.

"A-Amelia!" he sputtered and placed both hands on her shoulders but didn't try pushing her away.

She moved her curious fingers towards his inner thigh and Arthur swallowed thickly and stared at her shockingly.

"Jeez Artie, where the heck do ya keep that thing?" she groaned in agitation and Arthur felt his cheeks heating. When her knuckles feathered his manhood through his briefs his breathing became heavier and his grip on her shoulders tightened.

He pulled her closer and positioned his hips at a better angle for her. The blood from his racing heart was now moving downward and he hoped that it would in someway assist her in a few moments to what he thought she was looking for.

"A little to the right," he groaned softly and felt her quickly change her direction. He didn't know what came over his girlfriend to so suddenly want him but he wasn't about to stop her and ask. He was unsure she wanted to be intimate with him after what happened the previous night.

He closed his eyes and exhaled when he felt her small, warm hand rest over his growing length. It was about time that she found it.

"Um…" her hand stopped at once and Arthur opened an eye and looked down at her. She had her eyes on his crotch like she was confused at what she was staring at. It made Arthur shuffle uncomfortably against the wall he was leaning against.

It took Amelia a few seconds to realize what she had discovered before a deep blush formed across her cheeks. Her blue eyes got wide and darted them up at her boyfriend who was looking at her with hazy, confused eyes. Oh god…

She quickly removed her hand from his pocket and jumped a foot away from him. His face was red like hers but for a completely other _not so innocent_ reason.

"I-I!" she sputtered and clutched the hand that had practically been fondling him. "I'm sorry!" she didn't know what she was apologizing. Invasion of privacy most likely.

Arthur's eyebrows rose in question. "What for?" he had straightened himself out somewhat but the lump in his pants and his breathing gave away his not so steady composure.

"I wasn't trying to-_oh god_," she buried her reddened face in her hands in embarrassment. "I can't believe I just did that." She continued whimper.

"Trying to what?"

She peeked at him through her fingers. "I wasn't trying to grab your…um…thingy."

Arthur gave her an incredulous look before his eyes got wide and he blushed too. "Then what were you reaching for if not…" he motioned his head downwards and Amelia tried hard not to notice and trail her eyes down there.

"Your phone! I was looking for your cell phone!" she blurted out and saw Arthur make an O shape with his mouth.

"My mobile…" he said slowly, understanding what she had been looking for all along and not what he had hoped for.

He cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders. "It would've been a bit less misleading if you had insisted so before jumping me." He reached in the opposite pocket that his girlfriend had been searching in and pulled out his work phone.

Amelia wanted to smack herself in the forehead as she watched him remove it from the pocket that she hadn't chosen to search in first. Next time she would just have to look through both at the same time because that was obviously the smarter thing to do.

He tossed it to her and she caught it with both hands.

"So who is it that you needed to speak with so urgently that caused you to assault my trousers?" Amelia could tell that he was still a bit embarrassed about their little miscommunication and tried joking to make the air a little less awkward for them both.

"Oh you know," she hesitated, debating whether to tell her boyfriend the truth or not. "Matthew… I need to call Matthew."

"Your older brother?" he didn't sound as though he quite believed her and gave her a skeptical look. "You do realize he's probably still asleep considering they are several hours behind in North America?"

"He lives in Canada now."

"I'm aware and they're behind as well."

Amelia clutched his phone with both hands and racked through her brain for another excuse when Arthur's suspicious glare didn't let up. It looked as though he were about to question her further until someone joined them in the foyer. The couple turned and spotted the stubby repairman standing in the doorway, eyeing them uncomfortably. They both watched the man's brown eyes dart down to Arthurs pants then quickly away.

Amelia looked as well and discovered that there still was an obvious small lump poking from Arthur's crotch.

She grinned and looked back up to Arthur's face to see it reddening when he noticed what everyone was looking at.

"I come at bad time I see…" the Russian man muttered and acted as if to walk away but Amelia spoke up to stop him. This was the perfect chance for her to make her quick escape.

"No, no!" she rushed up to him and didn't seem to notice his eyes widen and the steps he took back to distance himself from her. "You came at a great time! Wonderful even!" She beamed and flashed a grin over at Arthur who had his green eyes narrowed at her.

"Ask Arthur whatever you need to!" and with that she darted up the stairs, grinning amusingly when she heard Arthur scuff from behind her. She didn't look back when she reached the top and ran down the hall that would lead her to their bedroom.

She was out of breath from all the running and found that she still couldn't keep herself from smiling when she entered their room and shut the door firmly behind her. Arthur was so going to scold her later on for that. It was just too easy and fun sometimes to embarrass the usual cocky and reserved Englishman.

When she managed to get her breathing under control, she locked the door and walked to the side of the room near the windows where the two loveseats were. She made herself comfortable in one and wrapped her legs under herself. She looked at the over chair where Arthur sat the other night and asked if she understood Mrs. Yabe's story. She had heard bits and pieces of it and thought the rest were meaningless up until now. Maybe the small details she missed weren't so small and meaningless like she had thought. Maybe they could explain what was happening around this home and why only to her and not Arthur.

Amelia stared at the cellphone in her hand, her index finger rubbing the lock screen button in uncertainty. For some reason she still found herself hesitating.

Her uncertainty was creeping back and she found the idea of calling the middle aged Russian woman more and more like a bad idea. Instead of asking her about it, maybe she could just ask Arthur? He did seem to know something that she didn't and perhaps what he knew would be enough? Yeah. That sounds good.

Amelia reached out to set the device on top of the coffee table but froze when it vibrated in her hand. She retracted her arm and stared at the glowing screen in disbelief.

It was Mrs. Yabe calling.

Amelia nibbled on her lip before tapping the answer icon and holding it up to her ear. "Hello?"

It was quiet on the other line for a moment until Amelia heard a cold and stern response. _"Why is it you pick up phone? Where is English boyfriend?"_

The tone in her voice slightly worried Amelia and she had to pause and wonder if her and the Russian woman last left on a good note. "He's down stairs with the repairman you recommended to us."

Amelia swore that she heard the woman let out what sounded like a breath of relief before responding. _"That is good news. Is he well?"_ she asked next and Amelia couldn't help but to consider if their realtor had a thing for Arthur because this wasn't the first time she had checked up on him.

"Um, yeahhh." Amelia drawled out before quickly adding, "You aren't by chance curious about my health too, are ya?"

"_What? Nyet. I need not worry for you." _

Amelia's eyes narrowed in frustration and slight jealously. Was this woman really making it that obvious that she cared for _her_ boyfriend? She was just about to open her mouth to point out that Arthur was clearly taken and not interested in older Russian women but was silenced when the said woman continued to speak.

"_I have no interest in boyfriend if that is what you are thinking." _

"How did you know that's what I was thinking about?" Amelia retorted defensively.

"_Because I can hear heavy breathing over phone."_ She purred entertainingly in her thick accent.

Amelia went rigid in her chair and listened to the Russian woman's soft chuckles.

"_I wonder if he gets jealous over you getting jealous for other man."_ She stated in a low curious tone that Amelia had to strain her ears to hear. _"Hmm I'm sure he does."_

"You think Arthur will be jealous that I'm jealous over him? That doesn't make any since lady." She leaned back into the chair and tried relaxing herself again, letting her eyes gaze absently out the large window.

"_Why is it you not listen to my words correctly? It is not your English companion that I speak of." _Mrs. Yabe stated seriously and Amelia found the small grin on her face slipping away.

"Who are you talking about then?" she ignored the companion part.

"_Tell me, Amelia." _She shivered the way that Mrs. Yabe said her name because it was actually the first time that the woman spoke so directly with her. _"You have picked up on unexplainable things happening in house, da? Things so strange that make you question if your eyes play trick on you or not."_

"There's been a few _things_ now that you mention it I suppose." Unnoticeably Amelia cuddled herself into the cushion and reached to bring a smaller one into her lap.

"_Do these things give you fright?" _

Amelia opened her mouth to respond but was once again cut off.

"_Or do you find strange comfort in them?" _

The blonde stared into the red pillow on her lap as her free hand played with the soft lining. She had actually never thought about the fact she never really felt threatened by the strange presence before. At first, sure, it kind of scared her because she had never had something like it happen to her before in the past, but now she felt more comfortable when she looked back on it all.

"Please Mrs. Yabe, just tell me what is going on. I need to know that I'm not going crazy because it seems like I'm the only one. Arthur doesn't'-"

"_See the things you see? That is because they are not for him to see. There is nothing to be proved to him."_

"But why only me? That's what I don't get! Why am I so damn special?" now Amelia was getting frustrated and her grip on the pillow tightened.

Mrs. Yabe sighed. _"You have no idea how special you really are, Amelia. Do you know why house was so cheap?"_

Amelia was slightly taken back by that. "Why the house was so cheap? What does that have to with me or anything for that matter?"

"_It means more than you know. For years I have tried to sell house. Each tour would end with women screaming or little ones crying. Men would be hard to read, but I could always tell they were frightened as well. Bottom line of story, house cannot be sold. Not because I cannot sell home, but because home does not want to be sold."_

"How can a house not want to be sold? You make it sound like its alive or something." Amelia regretted saying that because it reminded her of a horror movie. She scanned the walls to make sure they weren't moving like they were breathing.

"_Nyet, nyet. House is not alive. That is silly," _she grumbled and Amelia heard a string of words in Russian follow after. _"I thought house would never sell in my lifetime, that is until I saw you. I was cautious when I brought you and boyfriend, not sure of what to expect. When you started sneezing like a ruffled chicken, I thought-"_

"Ruffled chicken? Wait, are you talking about me?"

"_Your head bobbed like chicken." _

"My head did not-!"

"_Anyways, I knew house chose you after you came running from great hall. It was then my duty to make sure that you picked house and moved in." _

Amelia's mouth fell open as she raised a finger and pointed accusingly at nothing. "It was you that convinced Arthur to buy this house!? I knew it!"

"_That and good price, da." _

"Damn cheapskate…" she grumbled and pouted to herself. She was going to have to ask Arthur how much he got the house for later on. "So why were you so set on giving the house to us? Why some random foreign couple?"

"_Do you not listen to what I say? The house chose you, Amelia! It wanted you to move in. He has been waiting for you!" _

That made the blonde sit up in the chair and listen a little more closely. "Who is this _he_ that you keep referring to? And why did _he_ want me to move in and why does _he_ only want me to see the weird things that are happening?"

Mrs. Yabe took another long inhale of breath. _"I am not the person to answer those questions, Amelia. If you want the truth then you must seek it out."_

"Then who do I ask? What if I can't find them on my own?"

"_Let him guide you. He will help you and watch over you this I am sure. Has he not already reached out to you?"_

Amelia thought back to all the times where she was alone but never really felt alone. There was always this warmth that followed her around. It only made itself evident a few times but each time it did it was only when helping her. So if she wasn't in danger, how could she reach out to it? She could try throwing herself down the stairs again… Or on second thought, maybe that's not such a good plan.

"It has-"

"_He has."_

"Right, right." Amelia nodded in agreement although the thought that it was an actually person did somewhat freak her out.

"But that was only when I was in trouble. How do I reach out to him without needing him to come to my rescue?"

The woman chuckled softly at that. _"Come to your rescue? You have been in house for single night and he already had to step in and save you from self-endangerment? Why do I not find this a surprise?"_

For some reason Amelia felt herself blush and she knitted her fingers into the plush pillow. "You're avoiding the question Mrs. Yabe."

"_Ah da, da. I find cute is all." _Amelia blushed a little more_. "If you want to contact him then I suggest you do so when alone. He has made it clear that he is there; so I do not doubt he will hold himself back if you called upon him. I will even assume he is waiting on you to do exactly that." _

"So um…" she didn't really know how to ask what she wanted to next without it making her sound weird, though she doubted it could get any crazier quite honestly. "How will he exactly _show_ himself to me or…?"

"_Oh? Has he not already? I doubt it is of shyness or that he is not ready. Nyet…It must be you who he thinks is not ready." _She stated thoughtfully.

She had a good point. Amelia was positive if she saw a ghost man floating around the house she would be running out the nearest door and leaping from a window. "Lets say I'm _not_ ready to see him, then what?"

"_Why must you make this more difficult than is? You will have to face him eventually, Amelia. Please accept this and try to progress." _

"I suppose…" she mumbled and looked back out the window.

"_Good girl. Now do not call again unless emergency, understand? You make me exhausted."_

"But what if I have another important question?"

"_I am not one to answer it. Oh, one more thing."_

"What?"

"_Keep close eye on your Englishman."_

"Um, sure," she said slowly, thinking the question was uncanny. "Will do."

"_Goodbye then." _

Mrs. Yabe didn't wait another second and hung up. Amelia pulled the phone from her ear and let it rest in her hand. The phone call seemed to answer all her questions and at the same time it didn't. In the end she only found out that the warm presence she felt was actually a ghost or some spirit? Were they even the same thing? Either way it was dead and was now lingering around the house. How comforting.

Amelia set the pillow aside and got up from the chair and walked over to the window. She hadn't noticed it before when she was on the phone, but heavy looking clouds now completely concealed the sun. When the skin of her arm touched the glass she shivered and jerked back. It must've been freezing outside and those thick clouds must be full of a certain something that would only makes things around the house colder.

Snow.

The phone still in her hand started to vibrate again and Amelia curiously looked at the number. She didn't recognize the number or name as one of Arthur's friends so it must be work related.

"Oh!" her eyes widened and spun around and ran to the door. She didn't waste any time and raced down the hall and continued as carefully as she could down the steps with one hand on the rail.

When she reached the main floor she looked left and right and wondered where Arthur was in their large home. She decided on the hall that would lead her to the grand living room as a good place to start. She chose right when she rushed in there and spotted Arthur going through the mountain of boxes.

"Artie!" he hollered from the doorway and he looked up at her, his eyebrows knotted closely together.

He removed his hands from the box, each hand holding a single sizeable rock. "You don't know why these might be in here, do you?" he questioned and Amelia stared at them before remembering and grinning to herself. His frown seemed to deeper when she did that.

"Um, surprise!" she cheered and waved her hands then rushed up to him, holding his phone out to him when she was just feet away.

"Are the rocks the surprise or that you're returning my mobile in one piece?" he took his phone from her after setting the rocks back into the box with the rest of the other heavy elements.

"The rocks, but I'll explain that later." She said quickly then held up a hand to keep him from asking any more questions. "Your cell rang and I rushed down to give it to you because I didn't recognize the number." She looked at the phone in his hand and smiled apologetically. "Sorry I didn't get it to you in time."

He hummed in response and she watched him unlock his phone and tap around swiftly for a hew seconds. His eyes narrowed as he gave a confused look at the screen. "Well that's odd." He mumbled then tapped the screen again and brought it up to the side of his head.

He didn't say anything but Amelia could faintly hear the sound of another males voice from the speaker. They must've left him a voice mail.

She patiently stood there with him and observed his facial expression go from confusion to agitation, back to confusion and settle on annoyance.

"Of bloody course…" he locked the screen and ran his free hand though his hair stressfully.

"What is it?"

He looked back at her and frowned regrettably. Amelia didn't like the look and had a bad feeling about the news he was about to reveal to her.

"It was my boss that called and left the message. They need me to go in today and help the temps get started because one of the trainers is out sick this morning."

"What!? But we haven't even unpacked yet! I thought you had a week to get settled in and everything?" she wanted to protest more and convince him to stay but it wasn't really his choice. She could even tell by the look in his eyes that he clearly wasn't happy either.

Arthur reached out and pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "It's only for today, love. I still have the rest of the week off to settle in and more importantly spend time with you. I promise."

Amelia lifted her arms to wrap them around her boyfriend but stopped at the last second and kept them at her sides. "What am I going to do today then? Don't even say unpack these boxes because that's a joke."

He chuckled and leaned his head away to look down at her face. "Well you can start by emptying the mysterious box of rocks for me."

"Pft wonder how those got in there…" Amelia shrugged and looked away from his amused gaze.

Arthur laughed again and brought her back into his arms and kissed the side of her head. "I think I know a way of finding out." He murmured and started kissing the side of her face repeatedly as she tried to break free from him.

The mood was interrupted however when someone a few feet away deeply coughed. The couple stopped what they were doing and saw the repairman standing uncomfortably near the wall, his eyes on anything else in room besides them. Arthur and Amelia looked at each other before grinning and pulling away.

The stocky man finally looked at them once they were no longer in each other's embrace. "The plumbing should work through out most of house. I come again tomorrow for the lights and heating."

Arthur gave him a puzzled look. "Why not just work on them now while you're here?" he questioned and the repairman ruffled his mustache.

"I only bring tools for plumbing. I said I will come again tomorrow."

Amelia bit back a smile and watched Arthur's face as he gave the man an uncertain look. "I suppose that's fine. So will the sink and shower work if I were to turn them on?"

"I said I fixed them, nyet?"

"Yes, but-"

"They will work."

"But-"

"They will work. Now I have few more pipes to check before I leave." He grumbled and marched from the room, leaving Arthur speechless and Amelia biting her lips to keep from laughing.

Arthur turned and looked at her as if making sure she witnessed it too before letting out short laugh and shaking his head. "Charming little man, isn't he?" he commented and Amelia briefly laughed along with him until she noticed his patched up hand that was being used to point in direction of the repairman.

Mrs. Yabe's words from earlier came to mind and Amelia couldn't help but feel a sense of dread suddenly wash over her for some reason.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> Please don't hate me just yet! I promise that a certain lingering spirit will make an appearance in the next chapter. Trust me. Him and Amelia will have plenty of lone time together since there might be a snow storm and a certain Brit might be stuck all night at the office. How unfortunate.. And if anyone asks you didn't hear it from me. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

P.S. for those wondering what Arthur's and Amelia's jobs are: Arthur works in Foreign Affair work (we'll me some coworkers in later chapters) and Amelia is more of a free spirit and picks up little jobs wherever she and Arthur move.


	6. Chapter 6

Amelia stood by the window near the front door with her arms crossed securely over her chest, worry evident on her features as she continued to stare out onto the front lawn, which was completely sheeted in a white layer of snow. She seriously had underestimated the rate and amount of snow that could fall in such a short amount time here in Russia. It was hard to imagine that the sun had once been bright and cheery that very morning.

The first snowflakes started coming down when she was wishing Arthur a safe drive to work and promised return. The sight of the subtle white flakes flowing carelessly around them had been so memorizing that she didn't think twice about it becoming a problem. They seemed so harmless and gentle before their size increased substantially and the speed that they fell became almost furious.

Now the outside world was covered in what appeared a few inches but Amelia knew that it would almost reach a foot before nightfall. She had worried for how their repairman would return home because she seriously didn't want him staying the night and he'd assured her his truck could easily plow through snow. He said something about the early winter snow being soft and too fluffy. Right when he finished explaining all that to her he then asked when Arthur would return.

Arthur had never given her an exact time frame because he wasn't too sure on how long his assistances were needed, but he assured her that he'd call when leaving the office. The repairman mumbled about him not wanting to wait too long on him and that he'd just speak with him the next day. She had wondered why he didn't just tell her what he wanted to speak with Arthur about but he didn't seem too keen on lingering around her any longer than he wanted to. Their entire conversation consisted of him speaking loudly to her from the other side of the room. When she tried stepping forward he would take a step back.

Amelia sighed and leaned her head against the window. She really wished she had tried convincing Arthur to stay home despite his boss needing him specifically. It wasn't that she felt crept out by being in the house alone with the Russian version of Mario, well maybe a little, but what she really feared more was when he packed up and left.

Once the repairman left then that would mean she'd be alone in house.

Almost.

She sucked on her lip and thought about what may or may not happen when the time came for her to try to _'contact'_ the spirit. Normally she'd use the word _ghost_ but not if she were referencing to whatever was in her new home. Having a spirit around sounded a whole lot more pleasant than a _ghost_ did.

When her cellphone vibrated she nearly smacked her head against the glass window in alarm. She glared at the device as though it decided to scare her on purpose before she realized who it was that was calling.

"Artie," she breathed and closed her eyes pleasantly. "It's about time you're leaving the office and coming home. The snow is really starting to pile up out there and the clouds don't look like letting up anytime soon." The grayish clouds overhead looked immobile and prepared to stay well put through the night.

It was silent on the other end and Amelia looked away from the snow with a turn of the head. She heard Arthur let out a sigh and it made her heart clench like in some way it knew it was about to be let down.

"Amelia, love," he started very softly and she started shaking her head like she didn't want to believe what her commonsense had been whispering to her.

"I feel terrible having to tell you this but I don't think I have any choice because of this unfortunate snow fall. You see the thing is... I don't think I'll be returning home tonight." He confessed and she could hear the frown on his face through his words. He sounded so conflicted but she knew he wasn't left with any other option.

"So I'm going to be staying here all by myself tonight?" She breathed and the arm that was crossed over her chest pressed into her for self-comfort. It seemed like the room she was in was growing larger, pointing out how little she really was in the house when alone.

"It stings to think so but it appears that's what it has come down to. I hate the fact that you'll be alone in our new home and for the second night on that matter, but there's nothing I can do."

"I could come to you?" She suggested weakly and wished that Arthur would agree and think it a good idea, but that was just a hope of something impossible and irresponsible.

"I don't think you'd be anymore comfortable here than you would at home." He laughed softly then ceased and spoke in a lower tone. "I never should've agreed to come in today. If I had then we wouldn't be having this problem."

"The whole reason we moved out here was for your job and a new challenge. Guess we're getting both of those all at once, huh?" She attempted to smile and heard him softly huff.

"It appears so." There was a pause for a moment and Amelia enjoyed the silence. In a way it felt like he was there with her in the room and not forced to talk unless they felt like it. She dreaded the moment when they would have to say their goodbyes and hang up. She'd probably just spend the rest of the night texting him.

"When will you be home tomorrow?" She broke the silence with the question and he was thoughtful for a moment.

"My boss will most likely insist I stay since I'm already here," he paused before his tone took on a light note that made Amelia grin. "I guess I'll just have to sneak out before she wakes then. She and a majority of the staff are staying the night as well."

"Good to know that _you_ at least won't be alone." She didn't mean it in a sneering way or some jab. She was just pouting to herself and happened to say it aloud.

"You could always ask the repairman to stay the night," he joked but his amused chuckles stopped as quickly as they started. "On second thought, I don't agree to that because if memory serves me right there wasn't a wedding ring on his finger."

Amelia couldn't help but to snort at that and play along. "Well you know how I do have a thing for foreign men." She teased and shifted her footing. If she hadn't been so close to the window and the door that was discreetly leaking in the cold air from outside, then she would've felt the temperature in the foyer steadily heat up.

Arthur chuckled at that. "Is that so? Is there a particular nationality that you prefer? Now I'm quite curious."

"Oh definitely. There are a few on my list, but the top spot definitely goes to Russian men." She grinned when she heard Arthur scuff at the statement and act fake offended, or so she thought. The warm temperature in the air was more noticeable than before and Amelia felt was something warm radiating right behind her ankles.

She shifted her footing again to the other leg, thinking it was just the affects of too much pressure on the joints but the warmth stayed. It was odd but she didn't think too much of it to really turn around or pounder over it.

"_Russians_?" he quizzed in a sour tone. "Are you positive that your interest don't lay a little more to the east? I hear the men there are quite gentlemen like."

"Hmm, well maybe I don't want a _gentle_man, but a man more...rougher. A _roughman_." She purred and could practically hear the mouthful of air that left Arthur's lips at the little stab. His pride as a gentleman would definitely not stand for that and she knew it would quickly defend itself.

While Arthur went on his tirade about how a gentleman could both be _manly_ and preform in a _mannerly_ order like any other man but more superior, the temperature from behind her ankles start to increase. It was silent and soft like a stream of invisible steam until the growing warmth surpassed the height of Amelia and kept going. Amelia listened to her boyfriend go on about the rare qualities of a gentleman and faintly realized what was happening behind her.

For some reason the coolness from where her skin touched the window felt soothing compared to when it did a couple of minutes ago. It was like she was almost too hot and needed relief of something cool on her skin.

"And may I ask what makes a simple Russian man more desirable than a well raised English gentleman? I can't even fathom a list of comparable qualities." He stated roughly and Amelia just knew his face was probably red and his large eyebrows bunched down in an unimpressed scowl. It was one of her favorite expressions to see on him.

Amelia hummed in thought and tapped her finger against the phone that it held. "Well maybe that's what's interesting and unique about them. They can't really be compared to others because they are so different, but not in a bad way."

Arthur once again scuffed and she pictured him rolling his eyes and begging to differ. "You couldn't even name a decent few."

"Is that a challenge?" She raised an eyebrow and heard him pause in his breathing. She grinned because he did challenge her unknowingly and was about to pay the price for his slip of the tongue.

"Well the _first_ thing that comes to mind is that sexy Russian accent of theirs when they speak English." She imagined their repairman's accent but found that conflicted with her inner opinion. He was a bad example.

The warmth stopped growing, almost a whole foot and a half from the top of the Amelia's blonde head. It gradually progressed foreword, moving steadily to not overwhelm the unsuspecting woman who paid the room behind her no mind.

She heard her boyfriend stutter and she couldn't help but grin proudly.

"What about English accents? I heard American women went crazy over them?"

"Psh dude, we're so over that and on to the next coolest thing that's out there." She made a flicking motion with her wrist, swinging it carelessly off to the side.

"And what would that be?"

"Um, Russian!" she burst into a fit of giggles when Arthur went on another rant about how intellectual his accent sounded and how others strived to master the accent thoroughly. He was too proud of a person to not defend himself completely in any situation.

While listening to her boyfriend continue on and compare himself to James Bond in some ways, Amelia felt something like a warm wave splash against her entire backside. She stilled, thinking it would blow right past like a strong gust wind but it never did and stayed firm behind her like a wall.

Slowly she removed her free arm that was crossed over her chest and lowered it to her side. She turned her wrist and numbly stretched her fingers back to test and feel for herself that something was actually there. Her heart nearly stopped when her index finger poked something of resistance. A warm shock zapped from where her finger barely touched the unknown entity and shot up her arm. She inhaled deeply and yanked her finger back to her side like it never happened.

All she could think was why it was happening again and so soon after the last. Couldn't whatever was trying to contact her wait until she was ready or at least when they were _alone_ in the house?!

The presence behind her must have been impatient because she slid forward across the slick wood in her socks a few inches when they pushed up against her more firmly, like they wanted her to _know_ they were there.

From head to toe Amelia felt their warmth soothe the skin on her backside that was exposed and it seep through her thin clothes. Her boyfriend was still chatting away and for a moment she considered telling him what was happening to her and everything that she had witnessed in the house. It bugged her that she had to go through all of this alone.

Amelia opened her mouth to cut Arthur off mid-rant but all passed through her lips was a surprised gasp. Her grip on her phone tightened considerably when she felt two sturdy hands grasp her hips and pull her back into them steadily.

Arthur apparently heard her loud gasp and stopped talking. "Was there something you wished to say?" he questioned and Amelia continued to let her mouth hang open in complete speechlessness. If she could speak then what would she even tell him?

'_Yeah, a ghost who secretly lives in our is getting a little frisky with me.' _Even saying the words in her head sounded ludicrous and Arthur would ask her if she had gotten into his liquor stash and started drinking early.

The hands on her hips were completely still, almost as if waiting for what she was to say next. Testing to see that they weren't apart of her imagination, she experimentally tried moving forward which resulted in the hands grasping more firmly and she felt their fingers press into her skin.

Yup. Definitely not her imagination.

"Amelia, are you all right?" she heard Arthur ask tensely and she clamped her mouth shut before opening it again and answering weakly.

"C-Couldn't be better." Even she thought she sounded nervous as hell and there was no way it could be convincing, but the hands on her hips seemed to think so as they then started to leisurely glide up.

Amelia almost shivered at the warm sensation as they slid from her rounded hips and curved in to her skinny waistline. She felt every finger as they compressed through her shirt and pressed into her tingling skin.

"Are you sure? You sound a tad winded? You're not outside playing in the snow are you?" his last question seemed to be the one he most believed in and Amelia wasn't about to say anything to make him keep pestering her with questions she knew she couldn't answer.

"Un-huh." She breathed then shuddered when the hands racked up her rib cage, a hair any higher then the mysterious hands would be gliding up and around her breast.

The hand that was holding her phone was quivering as she tried keeping a steady hold on it. She prayed that it wasn't making a fuzzy sound on the other line or else Arthur would question about that too.

Instead of running off or snapping at the ghost for having their hands so close to her breast, Amelia just stood there and silently waited for what they would do next. To her surprise the hands just remained right underneath them, as if hesitant that they might be pushing her too far. Amelia wasn't totally sure if that was what they were debating but she found the thought somewhat considerate.

Seeming to resolve the unspoken quarrel, the hands then ghosted back down and Amelia found herself sighing in relief. They stopped at her torso then curved in and were pressed flat against her stomach. She quivered as their thick, long fingers stretched out and spread against her skin. Their warm palms pressed against her in a way that made her unconsciously press herself back into the radiating warmth that started to feel like the silhouette of a broad man.

"If you get sick from being out in the cold for too long, don't expect me to be taking care of you for you own childishness antics. I didn't pay for the heating to be fixed just so you can willy-nilly around in the cold."

Amelia heard his voice but couldn't quite process his exact words. Her phone was slowly drifting away from her ear in the intense moment. She wondered why she just didn't hang up with Arthur already and turn her full focus elsewhere that was clearly demanding it.

The warm touches moved back to her sides again and started to unhurriedly slide back down, curving out around her hips like one would sculpt a sensual sculpture. They stopped right where they started on her lower hips but this time she felt their thumbs trace soothing patterns against her skin.

It made her smile and relax against them, her heart rate almost returning back to its normal pattern. Totally immersed in the moment, Amelia laid her head back against the sturdiness that she now assumed was their chest.

The fact that she was finding so much comfort being touched and held by an unknown entity really should've been concerning, but she couldn't get herself to deny them or move away. That feeling of comfort and security like what she felt before was now back and she believed in it now more than ever.

The soothing circles being rubbed repeatedly into her skin made Amelia hum to herself. Maybe if she hadn't been making a noise of her own then she would've heard the deeper humming coming from above her or the solid footsteps that were approaching.

The gentle circles bring rubbed against her skin suddenly stopped and Amelia came back to focus on what was happening. There was a loud thud from somewhere behind her and the next thing Amelia knew she was left cold and alone. She shivered because it felt like someone had ripped her coat from her when in the middle of a snowstorm.

She spun around and found the repairman standing on the other side of the foyer, eyes wide and mouth agape. On the ground next to his feet was a small box of his tools and other instruments. He was staring at her with eyes as wide as when they first saw each other in the kitchen early that morning.

Amelia did a quick search around the room for something she knew she wouldn't find before locking gazes with the stocky repairman once again. His nose wiggled along with his moustache as his eyes flicked up and down her body.

"What were doing in here?" his eyes went back to an almost normal size. His tone was low, suspicious and uncertain of the situation. It only made Amelia more nervous about what he had seen.

The American tried smiling but failed because of her nerves. "Uh, just watching the snow fall."

He didn't seem convinced. "I heard a voice."

Amelia was about to respond until a low chirping came form her right hand. She angled her head and saw that Arthur was still on the line. A wave of relief washed over her before dread settled in. What did Arthur hear?

"I'm talking to my boyfriend," she held out her phone to show that there was a call taking place. The man squinted from where he stood, not wanting to take any steps closer to the strange American woman.

"Would you like to speak with him?" she asked innocently and a flash of dread appeared on his face before returning back to somewhat normal for him.

"That is not necessary," he stated quickly then reached for his tool bag with one hand, keeping an eye on her the whole time. "You tell him I won't be back for two days instead of one." he hurriedly paced to the front door and didn't wait on Amelia getting it for him. "Roads not safe tomorrow."

He was half way out when Amelia called out to him again. "Wait! Does the heating work?"

"Nyet." He replied curtly then slammed the door shut behind him.

Amelia shivered when the air from outside blew into her face and made goose bumps rise on her uncovered skin. She stood there a moment more before noticing the loud chirping still coming from her phone. She brought it up to her ear to hear Arthur mid-rant.

"That has to be the worst bloody repairman I've even met! Two days!?" apparently Arthur had heard the whole thing and was now throwing a fit on the other line.

"What does he expect us to do for an entire day without heat in bloody Russia!? I am calling the company he works for immediately and demand for them to send another and no later than tomorrow and then-!"

He went on like that for another few minutes before switching his concern about there not being heat in the house for her that night. She assured him that she would just sleep on the couch in front of the fireplace to keep warm and would be comfortable there. Arthur didn't like the idea of her being near the fireplace after what happened the previous night with it practically exploding from its confines.

After tossing around a few jokes about him tumbling from the couch after it scaring him so much, they finally agreed that she would slide the furniture piece back several feet for precaution just in case something happened while she slept.

When Arthur had tried saying his goodbyes and promises to see her the very next day, Amelia kept trying to start up another conversation with him. The sun had just about set and Amelia knew what would happen next when she was disconnected with her boyfriend.

By his tone and constant hesitating to her random replies for topic starters, she knew he was growing tired of her babbling and it made her feel guilty for some reason. The longer she delayed on the phone; she was in some way delaying two people.

Arthur probably had to go back to work or help arrange the sleeping predicament with his other coworkers. They had been on the phone for a really long time and she knew just as much as he did that his boss was more than likely scooting for him and wondering his whereabouts.

The other person she was holding up…well…she didn't really want to think about that at the moment.

"Amelia," Arthur cut her off from her rambling. She stilled and nervously waited for what she knew was next.

"As much as I enjoy listening to you speak so quickly in that adorable accent of yours, I really must be going and I mean it this time."

He sounded tired and Amelia racked her head for another topic to bring up but she couldn't get the words out of her mouth. It felt wrong and she shouldn't being holding up Arthur and using him as an excuse to delay what she was supposed to do later on.

"I understand." She sighed in defeat and slumped her shoulders. "Promise you'll be home bright n' early tomorrow mornin'?"

He laughed softly at that. "For the millionth time that you've asked and I've answered, yes. Now remember to move the sofa back and only put a few logs in. I'd much rather return home to find the house still standing and not in a heap of ashes."

"Yeah, you and me both," she joked with a small smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, Artie."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Love you."

If her had been standing right in front of her and not miles away in his office, then he would've seen the way her face saddened and her smile falter in hesitation.

"Yeah, you too." She heard the click of him disconnecting their call and she let her hand fall to her side and hang there, her fingers flipping the phone over nervously.

The sky was dark now and she could barley see the snow falling or how its height continued to steadily rise. She continued to stand there motionless in front of the window, nervous about what she had to do next.

The foyer felt chilly, so she knew that was a sign that she was at least alone for now. Whatever was standing behind when she was on the phone with her boyfriend was now somewhere else in the house. She didn't know if it wanted her to come looking for it or if it was leaving her alone and giving her space. Whichever it was didn't really matter because it now meant she had time to herself and prepare for the night that was ahead.

Amelia turned around and dared not to look anywhere else except for the direction she wanted to go, scared that she might find someone peering at her from one of the doorways. Her walk up the stairs turned into a sprint like it usually did when she got nervous and imagined that something behind her was chasing after her.

In her bedroom she walked over and set her phone down on her bedside table then bundled the blankets from her bed and heaved them up into her arms. She struggled for a bit trying to get her pillow to balance on the stack of covers before finally leaving her room and cautiously making her way back downstairs. The stairs had been a challenge since she couldn't see anything in front of her, but she made sure to go slowly and take each step one at a time.

When she entered the grand living room she noted how the fireplace was still burning the logs that Arthur had put in hours ago. It was a small, steady flame and looked as though a new piece would need to be added soon if she wanted to keep it burning and stay warm.

The couch was about seven feet from the fireplace and Amelia found that if she moved it any further then she would be cold despite all the blankets she had carried down. With that in mind, she decided against pushing her couch/bed any further back. She would just have to remember to move it to make it look like she did when Arthur returned home though.

After putting a new log into the fireplace and poking it with the metal rod a few times to get it going, Amelia plopped onto the couch and stared into the growing flames deep in contemplation.

She thought back to her conversation with Mrs. Yabe and how she was involved in it all. It just seemed so ridiculous to believe and she would've laughed at the woman if it weren't for the constant scenarios of proof that kept happening to her and only her.

Mrs. Yabe said that she was very special and that the house had been waiting for her for a very long time. Why couldn't the woman just explain to her what it all meant instead of sending her on journey for answers that apparently only some _ghost_ knew. What confused Amelia even more was how and why this ghost even knew anything about her at all? The answer is that they shouldn't.

Amelia was from America and had never once been to Russia or even considered the country a place to visit or live, let alone _soul_ searching.

Literally.

She leaned back into her make shift bed and groaned in agitation. This all wouldn't be happening if Arthur hadn't bought the house without discussing it over with her first. Or better yet, he hadn't accepted the stupid job offer in Russia to begin with!

Frustrated and annoyed with her situation entirely, Amelia shot up from the couch and glared into the fireplace. If this damn ghost was supposed to give her some answers then he better be ready because Amelia was not going to hold back. If she was dragged to Russia and forced to live in some old creepy house with air full with dust all because she was chosen by some unseen force, then they were damn well about to answer themselves to her.

She half spun around and darted her eyes around the vacant room, looking for any signs that she wasn't alone in the space. When nothing out of the ordinary happened, she sighed heavily and stood straighter, more imposing and in control before she spoke.

"Alight listen up Mr. whoever you are!" she demanded loudly and continued to look around. "I don't know why you chose me or why you wanted me here so badly, but you got what ya wanted and here I am!" she sprawled her arms out like making an example of herself.

"I'm here and I'm waiting so lets just get this over with before I change my mind!" she waited for a few seconds but there was no response. Ok now she was getting mad. An hour it was giving her a rub down like some airport security officer and now it was totally ignoring her when she actually wanted it to contact her?

She narrowed her eyes and balled up her hands into fist at her sides angrily. "How about this," she snarled lowly. "if you don't show your ass and speak up then I'll just pack my things up and move out of this house, which I'm seriously considering doing!"

She knew that she successfully managed to get their attention when a few of the stacked boxes in the middle of the room toppled over. It made her jump in her skin and leave her speechless. Suddenly all the confidence was slipping away and she found herself wishing she hadn't said anything at all or at least chose her words a bit more kindly.

The fire behind her blazed and she leapt away from it shock and almost went falling onto the couch. She caught herself though and rushed to the side of the room, away from the boxes and the roaring fire.

If the room felt hot before then it was smoldering now. She could feel her skin increasingly grow warmer as beads of sweat started to form on her forehead and palms. She nervously tugged at her white turtleneck sweater and wished that she could just remove it and relieve herself of the thick and itchy cotton.

Amelia all but sank against the side of the wall when she heard the distant sounds of heavy boots walking towards her from where the boxes were. The floorboards creaked under the wait and the thud of the leisure steps made so many horror movies come to mind that Amelia really wished wouldn't at the moment. She was already having a hard time comprehending the situation enough as it was.

The heavy steps were close now, a few feet away, and Amelia felt like time had slowed and wanted to torture her more by making the moment ever lasting. Her heart was wildly racing in her chest and her breathing was rapid and irregular. She felt as though she was about to have a panic attack and needed to sit down.

Her fingers were dug into the wall behind her like if she pushed it hard enough maybe she could get it to move back and distance herself from the advancing unseen prowler.

"L-Listen," her voice shook fiercely along with her body. "I-I'm sorry f-for up-upsetting you…"

The footsteps stopped right in front of her but even with her eyes sealed shut she didn't have to be looking or evening listening to know. She could feel them standing before her. Their warmth was only making the air warmer and her skin protest to move away like when she stood too close to the fireplace.

"P-Please don't h-hurt me…" she begged softly and turned her head to the side.

Her heart was beating so fast that she thought it would break loose from her chest and just fall to the pit of her stomach. Her limbs were trembling and if her knees weren't locked then she was positive she would've collapsed to the ground in a quivering mess.

Abruptly the air in the room shifted dramatically. The roar of the flames dyed down but she wasn't able to hear it over her pounding heart. The intensity of the heat also considerably dropped but still remained warmer than average for a large room with only a single fireplace a few small logs.

Amelia still had her eyes shut and head turned because she knew the imposing unseen figure still stood in front of her. Actually, she wasn't even for sure if the figure was unseen anymore of not. She had yet to open her eyes because of the fear of who or _what_ she might find there with her.

When she felt warmth moving towards the exposed side of her face, she only tried pushing her head further into the wall. The warmth stopped right over her cheek, as if hesitant to touch and Amelia prayed that she would not be burned.

It hovered there for a few short seconds more before she felt it touch her.

It was nothing like what she had expected. It didn't scold her or leaving her crying for it to release her at once and send her running and screaming. Instead she was overcome with a sense of relief from the gentleness in it and another feeling that made her rapid heartbeat slow like she just received some depressing news.

She felt the pressure on her cheek shift and somewhat morph into the shape of a hand as it became steadier and firmer against her cheek. She felt the same fingers that had caressed her gently from before now curve against her cheek in a tenderly fashion.

Slowly Amelia blinked her eyes open in confusion and interest. When she turned her head to look in front of her she felt the heavy hand shift and move gently along with her, not letting her face go.

And just like she had guessed, there was nothing standing in front of her. To be completely honest, she was somewhat disappointed yet relieved at the same time. She didn't know how she would've reacted to suddenly finding someone standing right in front of her.

The unseen entity must have understood the look on puzzlement on her face because she felt them lightly cup her cheek more securely in response. When Amelia glanced down at her right cheek where the invisible hand was, she stared at nothing for a few seconds until something unbelievable started to happen.

Gradually and what seemed mystically, a hand started to slowly appear before her very eyes. It started with the fingers before growing and expanding until she was able to see an entire hand against her cheek that literally materialized from thin air.

She watched amazed when it didn't stop there and the colors and outline of the wrist appeared then slowly the mist swirled further upwards and in seconds there was entire outstretched arm.

Amelia continued to watch astonished as more of the individual started to come to light and their figure develop and grow off of every new piece that was revealed. It was enchanting to watch how slowly yet beautifully it all happened. In less than a minute there was now a full slightly see through apparition of a person right before her.

The last part to be filled in was the person's face, which was a swirling mist with two glowing violet orbs in the middle of it all. It occurred to Amelia that they must be their eyes and she then suddenly felt self-conscious because they were staring down at her. Out of nervousness she darted her gaze to the floor but felt the newly formed hand on her cheek squeeze gently, making her to look back up.

When she did she saw that the mist had settled and now the person was complete. There was finally a face to the hands that had been caressing her, soothing her, and saving her from harm. For some reason Amelia wanted to reach up and tenderly cup their cheek too like how they were to hers.

For a long moment it was silent and Amelia used that silence to study every ounce of the newly formed entity before her that could only be defined in single word that would make her blush if she thought too much on it.

His luminous violet eyes were watching her carefully, as though trying to understand what she was thinking or if her reaction was a good one or not. Amelia stared up into them and watched them soften before a sad smile graced their thin pale lips. She felt their thumb soothingly rub her cheek delicately.

His saddened expression confused Amelia because she couldn't help but to feel as though she had somehow let them down in a way. She wanted to ask if she had done something wrong, but she didn't know how exactly to put it or if that was really the right first thing to say to him. She was startled from her thoughts when she heard the man sigh mournfully.

Their eyes seemed hurt and their smile was so soft yet so sad at the same time that Amelia felt her heart clench in her chest at the sight. Not being able to take the dejected look any longer, she opened her mouth to voice her request but he beat her to it and his quiet words crushed her in a way she never would've imagined.

"Even now that I reveal myself to you, your eyes bare no recognition. Have you truly forgotten me when I spent years yearning for you?"

Amelia went slack against the fall and stared up into his dejected eyes with a hurt expression of her own. She had no idea what he was talking about, but something inside her desperately wanted to deny his assumption and make him see the truth, except she didn't know quite what that was.

She swallowed nervously when he kept his stare pinned on her. His eyelids were hung low as evidence for his aching before they narrowed in consideration.

"If not my face then perhaps my lips…" he whispered in theory.

Amelia felt his other hand gently cup her left cheek and his two large hands hold her face steady. She watched as he turned his head ever so slightly before closing his eyes and leaning in for the kiss. She sucked in a quick breath of air when his lips were just centimeters from her own.

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**AN:** psstt you all should totally go vote on the poll I have on my blog after you're finished reading and reviewing. alright cool thanks.


	7. Chapter 7

"If not my face then perhaps my lips…" he whispered in theory.

Amelia felt his other hand gently cup her left cheek and his two large hands hold her face steady. She watched as he turned his head ever so slightly before closing his eyes and leaning in for the kiss. She sucked in a quick breath of air when his lips were just centimeters from her own.

The scene appeared in slow motion, and maybe that's what gave Amelia those few free seconds to decide what she was going to do next.

Her decision seemed like such a cruel thing to do to a man who already looked so forlorn, but it was what she deemed was right from the progressing situation rapidly imposed upon her.

And so with her mind made up and the nibbling guilt shoved away, she turned her head in the last second. She tried not to wince from the shame when she felt the man's lips place a soft kiss to the very inner corner of her mouth.

They lingered there for a few seconds more, as if dawning upon the fact they'd been denied their purpose and betrayed, before slowly pulling away. She closed her eyes when his face was in her line of sight again. She didn't want to see the expression that he bared on his face after what she had just done.

To her surprise, his warm tender hands slid from her face next, his fingers lingering as they ghosted down her cheeks until her face felt exposed when they were gone.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

Amelia let out a long breath before blinking her eyes open to slowly trail them up his tall form but found herself stopping before she could reach his face. Her eyes were glued onto one of the many foreign military decoration ornaments on his dark blue coat.

"You truly do not remember, do you?" he murmured softly and Amelia finally let her eyes find their way up to his face.

His eyelids hung low, leaving only half of his glowing violet eyes exposed to bare their internal grief and sorrow. His pale lips were set in a small but tight dispirited frown. The way he stood was still as tall and daunting as before, but his shoulders were no longer stiff and rigid. If she hadn't been watching him materialize moments ago, then she wouldn't have noticed that his shoulders now were lowered with a slight narrow in them, almost appearing defeated.

Amelia bit her lips and swiftly looked away when his saddened gaze met hers. Lying to this man would do them both no good and she didn't wish to give him anymore-false hope. With his face already in such a dejected state she doubted it could fall any further.

"I don't think I'm the person you think I am, so I don't remember. I'm sorry." She frowned at her own confession and kept her eyes pointed to an unparticular spot on the ground to her right.

It surprised her though when he reached out and gently gripped her chin and turned her head to face him again. His eyes still bore the same sadness from before but now there was a new expression in them that could almost be identified as determination. Amelia could only stare into his glowing gaze in shock and confusion.

"Nyet… You are my Amelia and I am certain of that," his words were so stern that Amelia almost found herself nodding along and agreeing with his proclamation.

His fingers still held her chin securely but not firm enough so that she could not shake her head in uncertainty. "But I don't even know you," she gasped out a bit perplexed then swore she felt his fingers twitch against her skin.

His smiled almost bitterly and slowly shook his head. "I'm dead and yet such simple words can cause me great pain." The fingers under her chin slid up and stopped on her cheek, except with the thumb that ghosted over the outer corner of her lip. She caught his eyes flicker there for a spilt second before looking back to her.

"Death does not free one from their suffering but prolongs it." His thumb pressed softly onto the spot where he lightly kissed earlier. "And the years I spent without you…" he paused and Amelia felt her heart squeeze in her chest because of the way he gazed down at her. "has caused me to suffer in a way that I pray you'll never come to know."

Amelia stood there staring up at him speechless. She felt so horribly guilty for all this man's torment and pain and the worst part was that she didn't even _know_ him. It made her wish to cling onto him and soothingly rake her fingers through his pale hair while she professed how sorry she was and plead for his suffering to atlas be put to an end.

The next thing that came out of her mouth seemed to surprise the man just as much as it did her. She didn't intentionally mean for the words to go any further than the contexts of her mind, but she found that she liked them being spoken aloud.

"I want to help you," she locked her confident gaze with his surprised one. "I want to help you find a way out of your suffering and move on into the light."

He was quiet for a moment and just stared at her before a small smile started to tug at the corners of his lips. He brought his other hand up and cupped her left cheek and Amelia found herself relaxing from the warmth. When he started to lean in she was ready to turn her head again if he tried kissing her, but to her relief he just pressed his forehead against hers.

"You have no idea how happy that makes me, Amelia." He closed his eyes as if in utter relief from her words. "But by you being here with me again you have already helped bring me further away from my despair."

Amelia found herself blushing and was thankful his eyes were closed. "Great then we're already moving in the right direction!" She squeaked before clearing her throat embarrassingly.

He clucked softly and pulled away to gaze adoringly down at her. "You have always been one for helping others," his thumb rubbed her cheek tenderly. "You saved me once before and now you will again." His smile faded slightly then for some reason. "If only it weren't under these circumstances…" he murmured but his expression quickly changed and he seemed content again.

"So," he raised a pale eyebrow at her. "how do you wish to save me?"

"Um," Amelia hurriedly racked her brain for an answer to his question. "Well I guess we can start by introducing ourselves?"

"But I already know you?" he retorted quickly.

"Yeah, well, we can discuss that weird part in a bit. First," she gestured to him up and down and his eyes followed. "how about you tell me a little about yourself? So, ya know, I can figure out how to help you."

He seemed hesitant on her theory like he wanted to argue with her on it but he must've just let it go when he sighed. He removed his hands from her face and took a few steps back. Amelia admittedly missed the warmth that radiated off of him but she kept her mouth shut and watched to see what he would do next.

The entire time that he took his strides away, he made sure to keep eye contact with Amelia. She found her eyes bound into his intense glowing violet ones that now practically gleamed with confidence and a bit of mischief. His posture was tall and prideful and Amelia found herself quickly feeling extremely small and weak in comparison. She wondered what she must've looked like from his perspective.

She watched him move one arm behind himself to lie across his back and the other cross over his middle right under his ribs. He bowed half way while doing so but continued to make sure to keep eye contact.

"I am Lieutenant General Ivan Braginsky," he said calmly with a slight lift in the corner of his lip. She watched the military decorations and white scarf sway when he bowed then lay flight on his chest when he straightened himself back up.

While he stood before her she took the time to take him his military styled attire. He wore a dark blue almost firm fitting coat that ended just pass his hips with a gold belt clasped across his upper abdomen. The pants he wore were also a dark navy with most of the ends tucked away beneath his long, black boots that almost reached his knees.

She came to the conclusion that the saying _'no one can resist a man in uniform'_ was definitely right. He was extremely handsome and she was sure he would still be in any other set of clothes. His face was extremely pale in comparison to his dark clothing, but that only adored his strong facial structure and piercing eyes that much more. In the eyes of women he would be well admired but he most certainly would appear as a menacing threat to other men.

She was drawn from her thoughts of the man when he stepped toward her then proceeded to grasp one of her hands with one of his gloved ones. He curved his posture just slightly when he brought her near shaking hand up to his face. Her knuckles flinched when his lips ghosted over them.

"And," he smiled at her as his eyes gleamed past his white lashes, "I am also your companion to forever embrace and wielder of your love till the very end of time."

Amelia's eyes got wide as she continued she nervously listen to his introduction that was making her heart beat rapidly. Just thinking about what his words meant made her face burn.

"T-That would make you…" she stuttered and felt her blush consume the color of her skin with its own cheery red.

"Your devoted husband," He finally let his lips delicately place a kiss atop the center of her small hand.

"And I'm y-your," She crooked at the recognition. This couldn't be happening. None of this could be real! Surely he must be confused!

"Wife." He said the word admiringly like he truly found bliss in them then kissed her hand once more.

Oh boy. She was most certainly going to wrangle the life out of Mrs. Yabe for not letting her in on that small detail! How could she not mention something as important as that!? And what was she going to tell Arthur? How was she supposed to tell her long committed boyfriend that she was already married, and to a Russian ghost no less!

Unless… She wasn't really married and this _'Ivan' _guy was just messing with her like all ghost do to humans.

When his lips finally pulled away from her hand, Amelia snatched it back and cradled it with her other hand against her chest. He seemed more amused than he did surprised by the action when he straightened back up and gazed down at her.

The way that he looked at her with that somewhat smug smile and gleaming eyes only caused Amelia lean further towards her assumption that he was just toying her because she was something new to play with. It was a shame he didn't pick Arthur to mess with because then it might've been funny to see him be the scaredy-cat for once, not that she was one or anything.

"Are you trying to pull my ropes or somethin' buddy?" she narrowed her eyes on him suspiciously, trying to keep her voice firm and calm her fluttering heart.

Ivan seemed confused by the statement and gave her a perplexed look. "Pull? I am not pulling anything," he held his gloved hands up in front of himself. "I neither hold nor pull any ropes at this moment."

Amelia rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips and swayed them to the side. "It's an expression, so don't take it so seriously alright?" She wouldn't admit that seeing such a handsome and imposing man act naive about something was extremely cute, so she tried her best biting back a smile.

"Then what do you mean by this odd expression? Why do you suggest I am_ pulling your ropes_?" he insisted and lowered his hands back to his sides.

She looked away from his quizzical stare and let her eyes land on all the boxes that filled the space behind him. "Ya know, cause you're blabbering on about us being married and such. I mean," she scuffed and looked back at him only to see eyes narrowing on her. She swallowed and looked away again. "We aren't really married or anything cause, well, ya know."

"What is it I know?" his low tone made her snap her eyes back to him. His smile was completely gone and his gaze stared into hers, holding her in place against the wall.

Suddenly the words that she wanted to say weren't sounding like such a definite thing anymore. She shrugged her shoulders and gestured a hand up and down his form but he paid it no mind as he waited for her response.

"You're kinda…dead," she said weakly, hating that she had to point out something so obvious. "I'm alive and, I'm sure you're well aware by now, but kinda already have a boyfriend therefore,"

The fire in the fireplace erupted again and Amelia spun her head in the direction of the thrashing flames, eyes widening at the height and viciously state of it. Never had she seen it thrash and whip around like that before. She was scared that it might catch something near it on fire and have the entire house burn down.

"Ah yes, that little English man." She heard Ivan growl hostilely.

When she turned back to him she saw that he too was glaring at the flames with his fist clenching at his sides. The way the orange flames danced in his violet gaze was hauntingly memorizing but also menacing. She was glad that she didn't fall under his gaze in that moment or she too might just die on the spot.

"For that _durak_ to actually think he holds any endearment of yours," his sharp jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed. "Or that he can touch you as he pleases." He hissed and Amelia gasped when he turned to look down upon her.

"I do not hold it upon you that you craved for affection during our separation, but now that we are reunited this futile affair must end." He took a step closer and Amelia found herself trying to scoot away like the first time he approached her. He reached out and set his warm hand against her cheek, its heat almost comparable to his rage. She winced when it landed on her skin.

His scolding stern gaze peered into her terrified one as he held her captive with them. With him now so close and in such an arresting manner, she felt like he was towering over her in not just height but also stature.

"Give me the order, my _golubushka_, and I make sure the _durak _will never defy your purity ever again. I'll scold him for his sin till his knees bleed when he falls to pray for your forgiveness and my mercy."

The expression on his face was so serious and flat that Amelia couldn't believe he once was able to smile so sweetly and curiously with those same features. Her eyes snapped to the still roaring flames them back to his own sparking gaze.

"What do you say?" he inquired and leaned a bit closer.

"I say…" she muttered, things started to piece together in her head and her self-reliance build, "That you're a fucking psycho path!" her voice grew to a raging volume. She smacked his hand away from her cheek and then pointed a finger fiercely up in Ivan's stunned face.

"Who the actual hell do you think you are? You haunt _my_ house, drive _me_ bat crazy, insist that we're married, and then try to formulate some diabolical scheme to snuff out my _boyfriend_!?" she pushed her finger closer into his face which resulted in him leaning slightly away.

"Like, where are you even coming up with all these things? It doesn't make any sense! None of it!" she pulled her hand back and raked it through her blonde hair. "Mrs. Yabe said that you were supposed to be helping me get some answers but hell if I'd known that this is what I was going to get, then I change my mind!" she didn't looked at Ivan's face again and spun to the side and stormed away. The first thing she wanted to do was call the real estate woman and demand some answers and possibly a refund then-

Amelia nearly screamed when she rounded the corner to go down the hall and saw Ivan standing there, blocking her path with an unrecognizable expression on his face beneath the shadows.

"Get out of my way!" she demanded but he didn't seem the least bit phased by her command.

"Nyet."

"Don't you Russian me!" she tried moving around but some invisible forced made her slide back. Her eyes widened because Ivan hadn't even moved a muscle. She tried again and actually slid back further than the first time.

Ok now he was just teasing her.

"Stop doing that!" she scowled and tried again but with a running start.

There was space between where he stood in the middle of the hall and the wall to his left so she darted for that small gap. She didn't even make it a foot near him though when her feet suddenly left the floorboards and she started hovering in mid air.

Amelia squealed as she wobbled back and forth, trying to steady herself in one position. When she looked up she noticed how Ivan was just standing there watching her, his arms folded behind his back in a refined manner.

"Why is it that you run from me, Amelia? Do I scare you or does the truth?"

She sprawled her arms out to stay balanced when she was pulled and floated right up to him. His eyes looked tactical down on her, not seeming to care too much for her distress in the air.

"I'm trying to run from you, moron-whoa!" she flapped her hands when she started swaying backwards. "Put me back down!"

He ignored her question though and continued his pursuit for the answer that he was truly looking for from the stubborn woman. "Why do you not believe that we are married? I told you that we were, da?"

Amelia focused again on him and challenged his glare. "Oh, I don't know, maybe because you're a creepy ghost who I've never met before! Pretty sure I'd remember getting married let alone to a supernatural being!"

What seemed like a flash of pain swept through his eyes but Amelia wasn't quite for sure because it was too quick. He let out a long breath before his features relaxed.

"Would you believe me if I told you we were married once before? Long, long ago before any of this?" Amelia paused and truly looked at him, searching the seriousness of his eyes. His tone was softer now making it hard for Amelia to scream or snarl back at him.

"I don't know," she shrugged and found her wrath for him now melting. "I guess I'd need proof."

What she said must've triggered something within him because his eyes got wide and his mouth parted just slightly at some type of realization. Amelia was about to ask what was going on in that big head of his until she was whipped around and started floating back down the hall and reentered the living space.

"Where are we going?" she asked trying to sound calm while she glided smoothly through the air with Ivan leading the way.

Ivan didn't say anything and stopped walking when they reached the north wall. When Amelia looked up she realized that they were positioned right in front of the massive rectangular object concealed in a pale grey sheet. It was the same mysterious item that she tried unmasking when she first toured the home and spent the rest of the time avoiding.

"What is it?" she asked, looking at Ivan who stood noiseless at her side.

"Proof." He said flatly then the large sheet rippled like being blown by a soft spring breeze.

Her eyes instantly snapped to the flowing mass and watched as it detached itself and started to flutter dramatically down the object that it had been concealing for who knows how long. The whole scene was in slow motion; it even felt like her heart was taking its time during each beat. The cover then fell and bundled carelessly onto the wooden floor against the wall where it once stood guard.

At first Amelia didn't know what she was looking at. Her blue eyes darted around with such anxiety to figure out what it was and absorb it all in as quickly as possible. The first piece of information that filtered in was that the large rectangle object was indeed a painting like she had predicted it to be. The colors weren't as vivid as when it was still new, but the figures that stood inside the golden frame were still visible and sharp.

When her eyes settled on the faces of the two individuals in the exquisite painting, Amelia felt her heart stop all together and drop to the lowest point in her chest. If some invisible force hadn't held her up then she would've been on the ground because her knees buckled.

She swallowed weakly and stared at the happy faces that were staring back at her. It was impossible. There was no way.

Her eyes stung fiercely and the next breath she took made her shutter. She felt Ivan staring at her from her side but she couldn't make herself look away from the two people holding each other in the painting.

The man was recognizably the same man that stood next to her now. She almost wanted to glance at Ivan and compare the two men but she knew that it was definitely him. There was no doubt about it.

Her eyes then rested on the other person in the painting and Amelia couldn't help but to grin sadly at the sight. The woman was smiling so merrily with her form resting lovingly against Ivan's chest with his hand atop her thin waist. Her hair was longer but Amelia had no doubt that the woman smiling down at her was none other than a mirror image of herself.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong>

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**Translations:  
><strong>Durak: Fool  
>Golubushk: Little Dove<p> 


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